Resident Evil 2025: The New Blood
by LeonFan2k3
Summary: The new STARS must save Australia from a BOW threat, that could potentially be worse than the original outbreak. Finally Updated!
1. Prologue

Hey All!  
  
I have returned to work on a better sequel to "Resident Evil: Death Island." As some of you may recall, I started the distant sequel a month or two ago, but I only typed about seven chapters. I decided to stop the story, because it wasn't coming out as well as I'd hoped. I figured I needed to work out a few more details before I reposted, and hopefully I have done better with version 2. For those who might notice, I have trimmed down the number of characters, seeing as how I had far too many, making it harder to write. I've tweaked out a few storyline details, but those who've read most of version 1 will recognize many of the story elements. For character references, see my companion to this, called "Resident Evil: The New Blood, Files." Anyway, now that's out of the way, so on with the story. This prologue is pretty much the same as the original.  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil, or any of the references to actual Capcom characters or story elements. I do not own any songs referenced in this story either, they are there for character development reasons. I do own the following: Rick and Liz Kennedy; Alyssa, Christine, and Daniel Redfield; Joe and Mike Coen; Britney and Tiffanie Barrett; Annie and David Barrett; Lillian Holt, Perry Hall, and Ken Wood; Hunter Barrett, and Stephanie Dumas; and Jake and Tabitha Marx.  
  
Prologue  
  
Six months after the incidents on *Ashford Island, circa 1999 A.D. the corporate war between Umbrella Inc. and the H.C.F came to an end. Thanks to the efforts of Chris Redfield, his sister Claire, and their friends: Leon Kennedy, Rebecca Chambers, Jill Valentine, Billy Coen, and Barry Burton, as well their young charges: Annie Barrett, David Barrett, and Sherry Birkin, The U.S. Government was able to shut down the two largest pharmaceutical chains in the world. As news of the inhumane, and illegal, activities of Umbrella and the HCF was spread, a chain reaction of astronomical proportions brought about what would come to be known as 'The Shutdown of 1999'. All of the known facilities for the two companies were shut down, and many arrests were made. Top researchers, as well as all corporate types, who were implicated in the illegal research, were arrested in their countries around the world and extradited to the U.S.A for the largest Supreme Court case ever witnessed. As the evidence piled up, the case was easily won, and all those held responsible were indicted on charges ranging from illegal research, to falsifying information, and in some cases, treason and murder, as well as bio-terrorism. The families of all victims of the unlawful experimentations were reimbursed for damages, and for the mental anguish caused by Umbrella and the HCF. This landmark case was an historic, and unprecedented show of global unity.   
  
Unfortunately, the relatively new branch of the C.I.A, known as the Bio-Terrorism Investigation Unit had to be shut down as well. This was due to the loss of the unit's three top agents, Amanda Johnson (a.k.a Ada Wong), Carlos Oliveira, and James "Hunk" Christopher, who sacrificed themselves on Ashford Island. However, history was once again made two years later.  
  
The United Nations approved of a new anti-terrorist establishment, that would specialize in bio-terrorism, but would also be used as a countermeasure force for all other acts of terrorism. The new establishment would be run by future U.N. head representative James Michaels, who would be in charge of an elite group of enforcers, that included (in ranking order): Barry Burton, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy, Billy Coen, Rebecca Chambers, and Claire Redfield. These men and women would become the first official members of the International Special Tactics And Rescue Service, or S.T.A.R.S International. The government funded a multi-billion dollar, military-base-styled headquarters. The S.T.A.R.S Academy would be the centerpiece of New Raccoon City, and would serve multiple purposes. It would be an anti-terrorism training center, a school for younger recruits (Aged 16 and older), and of course, the main headquarters of S.T.A.R.S International.   
  
Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, as well as Billy Coen and Rebecca Chambers, would all be married in a lavish triple wedding. In the following years, Sherry Birkin, who had become the legal ward of Leon and Claire, would reconnect with her friends Annie and David Barrett. Sherry and David would eventually marry after meeting again in college. Barry Burton's daughters would eventually grow up and have children of their own. The Redfields, Kennedy's, and Coens, and the Barretts as well, would all have children. Their offspring would grow up and follow in their parent's footsteps. This is their story.  
  
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* = see "Resident Evil: Death Island" which I believe is on either page 14 or 15. Please read that story as well, it's gotten 20 good reviews, and it is the story that details the Ashford Island incident. BTW, this story takes place 26 years after "Death Island". For a quick reference: The oldest of the kids is 24 years old, and the youngest is 16-17. In "Death Island" Sherry is 13, David Barrett is 16, and his sister Annie is 12. The other main characters are the same ages as in the games. Chris, 25; Claire, 19; Jill, 23; Leon, 21; Billy, 26; Rebecca, 19; and Barry, 38. 


	2. Introductions

To Sour Schuyler:  
  
No. I Haven't given up on my story. However, I decided to start it over again. As you noted yourself, there were a few minor problems as far as continuity goes. Plus, I think I had far too many characters to write for, so I decided to shorten the cast of characters. It still has the same premise, but I think I'll do better this time around. As far as what you said about the number of chapters, you're right. I had about 7 or 8 chapters posted, but when I decided to start the story over again, I removed the original version. As far as changes go, I have eliminated Delta Recon for now, because as I noted, there were too many characters for me to work with. The core characters are still there though, which means all of the original RE characters' offspring are still there, as are Lillian and Perry. Anyway, thanks for another review, and please stick around, the story isn't over yet, not by a longshot.  
  
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Introductions  
  
"Mr. Martin, please come out peacefully. We don't want anyone to get hurt."  
  
24-year-old Rick Kennedy was having a really bad day. Here he was, in the middle of a hostage crisis, when he could've been home enjoying his day off. He was sleeping peacefully until the phone rang at about 9 o'clock. His uncle, S.T.A.R.S chief Chris Redfield, had called to tell him there was a situation that required his attention. Rick was the son of Leon Kennedy who, along with Rick's mother Claire Redfield-Kennedy, was something of a legend in New Raccoon City. Rick signed up with the S.T.A.R.S Academy eight years ago, and rose quickly through the ranks. Some of the other recruits felt that this was because of Rick's family ties, but Rick proved himself easily, killing all of those rumors. Rick had proven himself to be one of, if not, the best of the so-called "New Blood" several times. Rick's younger sister Liz, and most of their friends and family, followed suit, starting something of a tradition.   
  
Today was another chance for Rick to showcase his abilities. John Martin, a 36-year-old man sentenced to life for murder, had taken a young family hostage in the New Raccoon City suburbs. He had escaped from a prisoner transport vehicle early in the morning, and broke into the family's home about an hour before Rick was called in. Rick's cousin, 23-year-old Dan Redfield had also been called in. Dan had a similar situation when he joined up. Like his older cousin, Dan had to prove himself to critics who believed he rose up because of his family. Dan's parents were Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine-Redfield, who, like Rick's parents were somewhat legendary, because of their roles in the "Shutdown of 1999."  
  
Negotiations with John Martin had been going on since twenty or so minutes after 8, and it was now going on noon. Unfortunately, the situation had begun to deteriorate, and people were getting desperate. As Rick and the others tried to figure out what to do next, the gunman came out of the house with a gun pointed at the head of a 10-year-old girl. He was using her as a human shield as he made his way toward the family's parked car, which he'd be using to escape. Rick was a crack shot, but he didn't dare fire, for fear that the man would be able to get off a shot of his own, and kill the child. Rick hated to see children threatened, and was infamous for losing his temper, but he couldn't afford to let his temper go.  
  
"Mr. Martin," Rick said, "If you harm the child, we will not hesitate to open fire, so again, please, let her go!"  
  
This only angered the captor, and he quickly tightened his grip on the frightened girl, pressing his gun against her temple. During the confusion, Martin hadn't noticed Dan who was creeping up behind him. "LET HER GO, MARTIN!"  
  
As Martin spun to see who had addressed him, a shot rang out, echoing in the wide open space of Belford Drive.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of town...  
  
"Oops, I did it again, I played with your heart... got lost in the game..." 18-year-old Britney Barrett was singing along with her music, as she prepared for her first afternoon as a member of the International S.T.A.R.S Alpha team.  
  
"Oh, will you please turn that crap off!" shouted Britney's roommate and good friend, 18-year-old Stephanie Dumas. Brit and Steph, as they called each other, were both students at the academy, and were beginning their tenures as official S.T.A.R.S members. They had been going to the academy for about a year-and-a-half, and they were among the few chosen to move up. Stephanie was joining Bravo team, and she couldn't help but give Britney a hard time about her music. Unlike Stephanie, Britney had a family history of sorts with the S.T.A.R.S as well. Her father was David Barrett, who helped the original team bring down Umbrella and the HCF. During that time, David met Brit's mother, Sherry Birkin-Barrett. Years later, the two reunited in college and were married. Britney was named after their favorite pop star at the time, Britney Spears. Britney's 17-year-old sister Tiffanie, and their 18-year-old cousin Hunter, had already been named Alpha team members the week before, and they were happy to be on the same squad. Steph felt a little left out at first, but it passed quickly, since they all still hung out together.  
  
"Oh, lighten up Steph, you know how much I love Britney Spears, after all, I was named after her."  
  
"Ugh! Don't remind me. What the hell were your parents thinking when they named you after her!"  
  
Britney just shrugged it off and gave a big smile to her best friend. Stephanie just threw her arms up as if to surrender, and they both chuckled a little. They finished gathering their things, and headed to the academy.  
  
Meanwhile, at that moment...  
  
There was an awkward silence inside the home of the hostages after hearing the resounding boom of a powerful shot being fired. The parents and older sister of the little girl were afraid that someting had gone terribly wrong. Suddenly, they heard the would-be kidnapper screaming out in pain.  
  
"YOU SONUVABITCH! ...AARGH, MY ARM!...YOU FREAKIN' DESTROYED MY DAMN ARM!"  
  
The family ran out the door and into the embrace of the very frightened, but relieved, 10-year-old. As the family reunited, Dan walked over to his cousin, and patted him on the back.  
  
"Nice shot Rick."  
  
"Thanks, Dan, but it was your distraction that gave me the opening." Even as he said that, Rick was replaying the scene in his mind:  
  
"LET HER GO, MARTIN!" Dan shouted. As John Martin turned to see him, Rick took the shot. He fired his desert eagle, as the girl took advantage of the opportunity and wriggled free of Martin's loosened grasp. The shot hit Martin in his gun arm, shattering the elbow, and making him drop his weapon. As he grasped his arm in pain, the other police grabbed him, bringing a very volatile situation to a satisfying end.  
  
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Well, that's the end of this chapter. I hope you all liked it. More characters will be introduced next chapter. If you need a quick reference, check out my companion to this story: "Resident Evil: The New Blood, Files." Also see "Resident Evil: Death Island," which is my first story. They are both on or around page 8. I believe "RE:DI" is story number 176. Anyway, thanks for reading. Don't forget to R&R. Constructive criticism, and good reviews are always welcome, but please, no flames? Suggestions are also welcome. 


	3. Joe, Mike, Liz, Tiff, and Hunter

Joe, Mike, Liz, Tiff, and Hunter  
  
22-year-old Joseph Coen and his younger brother, 20-year-old Michael were at the targeting range getting in some shooting practice. They had helped design and build the prototypes they were testing,and so far, the tests were going well. Joe, or Joey as Mike called him, was working with a custom S.T.A.R.S M-75. A .35 caliber assault rifle. It had a low recoil, and could function as semi-, or fully, automatic. On full auto, the M-75 pumped out as many as 75 rounds a minute, and the hollow-point, .35 caliber bullets were capable of doing some heavy damage. It had three loading chambers, and each clip had three compartments with a capacity of 40 rounds per compartment. Mike was testing a S.T.A.R.S custom AK-60. This was slightly slower, but a bit more powerful than the M-75. It fired at a rate of 60 rounds per minute, and each round was .40 caliber. It had a more common two compartment clip that could hold up to 50 rounds per. It, too, could be used as a semi-automatic as well.   
  
"So, Joey, whaddya think? Do our new toys make the grade, or not?"  
  
"I believe they do Mike. C'mon, let's head back and let Chief Redfield know."  
  
Joe and Mike were the children of ex-S.T.A.R.S officer Rebecca Chambers-Coen, and former Marine Lieutenant William "Billy" Coen, who were both pivotal in the "Shutdown of '99." They decided, however, to stay out of the spotlight. Rebecca became one of the most loved instructors on campus, and Billy became the military tactics trainer. Joe and Mike had been in the organization for about three years as part of the Alpha Team (Joe) and Bravo Team (Mike). They were in charge of demolitions and weapons maintenance.   
  
As Joe and Mike made their way back to the main building, they stopped and waved to their friends Elizabeth Kennedy, Tiffanie Barrett, and Tiffanie's cousin Hunter Barrett. 21-year-old Liz, 17-year-old Tiffanie, and 18-year-old Hunter were practicing water safety skills in the large training pool. The academy had two large pools, and was built by a lake that was about a mile wide, and 60 feet deep. One pool was for training only, the other for recreation, and the lake was used for open water drills, involving watercraft.  
  
Tiffanie and Liz had been working as lifeguards at the local pool up to about 2 years ago. At that time, Elizabeth's brother Rick convinced them to join up with the academy. Hunter was the only child of Annie Barrett. Shortly after Hunter's birth, Annie divorced his father, Detective Shane Austin. Years later, Hunter decided to use his mother's maiden name. Hunter was seriously into weight-lifting and wrestling. He was training to follow in the footsteps of his favorite wrestler, Triple H of the WWE. However, his cousin Britney convinced him to become a member of S.T.A.R.S. This was about a year-and-a-half ago. Liz was a promising college student, majoring in several fields of medicine. After joining the academy, Liz began working with Rebecca, who was renowned for being a medical prodigy, and a member of the original S.T.A.R.S Bravo team at age 18.   
  
"Hey guys!" It was Tiffanie, who had come out of the training pool dome, followed by Liz and Hunter.  
  
"Where are you guys headed?" asked Hunter.  
  
Joe answered, "We're heading to the Chief's office."  
  
"Sucking up to my Uncle Chris are you?" Liz joked.  
  
"Yeah," said Mike, who joked, "We wanna be team leaders someday, so we figured we bribe him with our new guns."  
  
"I take it the tests at the firing range went well?" asked Hunter.  
  
"Yeah, they did," Joe answered, "In fact, that's why we're headed to the office. We want to tell the chief that these guns are ready for field use."  
  
"Hey, have you guys seen Rick and Dan?" asked Liz.  
  
"No, but I hear they had quite the morning. Big hostage situation over on Belford Drive." Mike responded.  
  
"Are they OK?" asked Liz, sounding more alarmed than she wanted to.  
  
"Yeah," said Joe. "In fact, I hear they nailed the creep."  
  
"What happened?" asked Tiffanie.  
  
"Well," answered Joe, " Some guy escaped from a prison transport and took a family hostage. He even tried to escape with the 10-year-old daughter."  
  
"Oh my God, that's horrible," said Tiffanie.  
  
"Yeah," Joe continued, "but Rick and Dan stopped him. Apparently, Dan distracted the guy, and Rick shot him in the elbow, rendering his arm useless. He'll probably never have full use of his arm again."  
  
"That's just like my brother," said Liz, "always showing off," she joked. She couldn't help but be impressed, especially since she had always looked up to her older brother. She'd done so ever since he beat up a couple of bullies who wouldn't leave her alone. He was grounded for a month, but he and the rest of the family knew he was just being protective of his sister. Leon and Claire had told him he was right to protect Liz, but he should've told the school principal instead of taking matters into his own hands.   
  
After the news, the friends all said goodbye, and continued doing their things.  
  
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Well, I hope that wasn't too boring, but it's important to introduce all the characters. There will be more action later, but there will probably be a couple more "character chapters" first. Stick with me, please? 


	4. Welcome Wagon

Welcome Wagon  
  
22-year-old Christine Redfield and her 17-year-old sister Alyssa waited for the "new" arrivals. Christine was the medic for Bravo team, and Alyssa was Bravo team's communications officer. Alyssa had been in training for less than a year, but she was impressive enough to move up. Christine joined the force about 3 years ago, along with her and Alyssa's older brother Dan, leader of Bravo team. The girls were awaiting the arrival of four new "official" S.T.A.R.S members. They were Britney Barrett, Stephanie Dumas, Jakob Marx, and Jakob's sister Tabitha.  
  
18-year-old Jakob and 17-year-old Tabitha, or Jake and Tabby, as they were known by their friends and family, had been in the academy for about a year. They were being moved up, along with Britney and Stephanie, in a special ceremony that was being held that night. Jake's and Tabby's grandfather was retired S.T.A.R.S chief Barry Burton. Their parents, James Marx, and Barry's elder daughter Jessica, were officers in the International S.T.A.R.S. After James was killed in the line of duty, Jessica (7 months pregnant with Tabby at the time) quit, and moved back home with Barry and his wife Kate. Barry's other daughter, Marianne, was a divorcee, with no children, and worked as a dispatcher for the organization.   
  
Christine and Alyssa had met Britney and Stephanie a-year-and-a-half ago, and they all became fast friends. Chrissy and Steph often double-teamed Brit, teasing her about her resemblance to, and affinity for, pop diva Britney Spears.   
  
"There they are!" Alyssa shouted, as the van pulled up to the facility gate.   
  
"This is going to be a great night 'Lyss'," said Chrissy.   
  
They were just as happy to see Jake and Tabby. After all, they had practically grown up together. The Redfields, Kennedys, Burtons, and Coens had all been close since the Umbrella and HCF crisis 26 years before, and they were happy to see one another make it to "the big leagues." As they got out of the van, there were hugs all around, but Britney had to ask,  
  
"Where's that cute cousin of yours Chrissy?"  
  
"Oh, you mean the irresistable Rick Kennedy?" Chrissy teased, "Last I saw him he was makin' out with some floozy."   
  
Chrissy couldn't help but laugh when she saw the shocked and disappointed look on Brit's face. It was no secret that Britney had a huge crush on Rick, and Chrissy and the other girls couldn't help but tease her about it.  
  
"Just kidding!" Chrissy said, "Don't worry lovergirl, your pistol packin' knight will be around later."  
  
The girls headed for the women's dormitory, and Jake toward the men's. After settling in, Chrissy made a suggestion,  
  
"Hey, let's all go to the pool, and take a dip. We have extra time before the big ceremony."  
  
"Great idea," said Steph, and they looked at Britney, "You comin'?" Alyssa asked.  
  
"Nah. You all go ahead, I'm a little tired."  
  
"Okay, but if we see loverboy, we'll send him in the direction of the Britney Spears music," Chrissy joked.  
  
"Oh, whatever! Go, have fun. I'll see ya'll later."  
  
The truth was, Britney was embarassed. She didn't want the others to know what only she and her sister knew, at least not yet. When she was around 9 or 10-years-old, she and Tiffanie went to summer camp. One day, Britney was playing around an old worn out dock that wasn't supposed to be near. One of the rotted planks broke, and Brit fell through, into the 6 foot deep water, and nearly drowned. She'd been afraid of the water, particularly drowning in it, ever since. She went into communications because water safety was not a requirement. Lucky for her, noone ever pressed her about why she never went swimming with them.  
  
Chief Chris Redfield sat in his office, preparing for the evening's festivities. He and his wife, Jill, would be presenting the four new S.T.A.R.S their badges and assigning them to their teams. He had seen alot of kids come and go, and watched as his kids, nieces and nephews, all grew up to become part of the New Raccoon City elite. He was so proud of all of them, and he enjoyed these ceremonies more and more each year. As he prepared for the night, his brother-in-law came in.  
  
"Hey big brother-in-law, what's happening? Ready for the big night?"  
  
"You know I am Leon. Where are Claire and Jill?"  
  
"They're down by the pool, talking to the kids. Barry, Jessica, Marianne, and Kate will be here in about an hour. Rebecca and Billy went to the airport to pick up David, Sherry, and Annie."  
  
"You know, it's a shame James can't be here to see Jake and Tabby move up. He would've been so proud."  
  
"Yeah, Chris, I know. Jake and Tabby will make great additions, but at least their mother, aunt, and grandparents will see it."  
  
"Tell me Leon, do you think these kids will ever have to deal with the same crap we did. You know, with Umbrella and the HCF? I mean, genetics research and technology have advanced so much, I can't begin to imagine what kinds of creatures they would have to face."  
  
"I often wonder the same thing Chris. But something tells me they would handle it well."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right Leon."  
  
With that, the two men left the office and went to get ready for the ceremony, fully aware that in the next two hours, it would be the biggest night in the family history of S.T.A.R.S International. 


	5. Joy and Sorrow

Joy and Sorrow  
  
"Tonight is a night to enjoy a momentous occasion," S.T.A.R.S chief Chris Redfield began his speech with a feeling of pride. He had always enjoyed promoting recruits to either of the two elite S.T.A.R.S units. He was especially proud of those he watched grow up, become recruits, and eventually join Alpha team or Bravo team. He had witnessed the rise of his nephew Rick, and his son Daniel, who were now leaders of their respective teams. That was 6 years ago, when he himself was still heading up Alpha team, and Jill was heading up Bravo team. Chris's good friend, and then chief, Barry Burton had done the honor. Now, here he was, about to return the favor, as he was to promote Barry's grandchildren, Jake and Tabitha. After reflecting, Chris returned to his speech.  
  
"It is always an honor to promote one of our own, and tonight that honor is four times as great. Four of our recruits are about to move up to each of the S.T.A.R.S units. My lovely wife, and second in overall command, will call those special recruits up to the stage, and present them with the official S.T.A.R.S International badges and patches for their uniforms. So without further ado, I give you Mrs. Jill Redfield."   
  
Jill slowly stood up, and carried a silver briefcase to the podium. Inside the briefcase, there were four official patches and badges, as well as the certificates that verified the recruits' promotions. The symbolic shields were gold in color, and were decorated with the official S.T.A.R.S logo: a circular field outlined in gold. Inside the gold perimeter was a field of either blue or red, highlighted by three stars. Golden labels were featured at the top and bottom of each shield. The top was engraved by the legendary anagram for the Special Tactics And Rescue Service, and the bottom was engraved with either Alpha or Bravo, which were, of course, the official names of the two units. A blue field represented the Bravo team, while the red represented Alpha. Engraved in a circle, along the gold outer band were the words: New Raccoon Police Department.   
  
"As my wonderful husband so elegantly put it, it is indeed an honor to announce these four young men and women as the newest members of S.T.A.R.S. Officers Jakob Marx, Tabitha Marx, Britney Barrett, and Stephanie Dumas. Would the four of you please come up to the stage, as I call your name and team assignments."  
  
"Officer Jakob Marx, Pilot, Bravo Team."  
  
"Officer Stephanie Dumas, 2nd Communications, Bravo Team."  
  
"Officer Tabitha Marx, Computer Specialist, Bravo Team."  
  
"And finally- Officer Britney Barrett, Communications, Alpha Team."  
  
After the announcements, all four were given a standing ovation, and shortly after that, the meeting ended, and the S.T.A.R.S met outside the dorms.  
  
"Hey Dan, it looks like you guys have a bigger team now," said Rick, "That means, no more excuses when the Alphas kick your sorry rear ends all over the basketball court."   
  
"Yeah, well you just bring it Kennedy, and we'll see!" Dan responded to his cousin's taunt.  
  
"So guys," Tiffanie interrupted, "You up for a night on the town? It's a double celebration."  
  
"Oh yeah," responded Dan, "What for?"  
  
Liz answered for Tiff, "Well, to celebrate the newest S.T.A.R.S members, and for you guys. We heard you two had a rough morning today, so we decided you deserved a night out." With that, the 13 S.T.A.R.S members headed off to get ready for their night out, unaware of the tragedy about to occur on the other side of the world.  
  
Australia, 25 miles outside of Sydney...  
  
A man of about 50 sat in the captain's seat of a 747 airliner. He was flying the passengers to Greece, where the plane would refuel, and begin the second leg of a scheduled flight to New York City. He had been acting strangely for most of the flight so far, and the five flight attendants on board knew it would be a long flight, more figurative than literal. Meanwhile, the 250 passengers were completely oblivious to their peril. The plane suddenly lurched, as if caught in some harsh weather conditions. Many passengers looked out their windows, but could only see the bright morning sky. Then, a second lurch caused the oxygen masks to fall from their holding cabinets.   
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I'm sorry, but we have experienced a slight drop in cabin pressure due to heavy turbulence. Please follow the instructions of our attendants, as they show you the proper way to use the oxygen masks. Please, do not be alarmed, as this only a precaution. Our flight will continue as scheduled, and we at Air Australia apologize for any inconvenience during this situation, and any other that may occur during the remainder of your flight."  
  
After making the announcement, the captain pulled a silenced gun, and shot the co-pilot, as well as the navigator. He then grabbed a parachute, and pushed a button for the oxygen to be distributed. Outside the cockpit, the stewardesses and passengers were knocked out by the mysterious gas that had been fed through the oxygen tubes. Once the coast was clear, the captain lowered the plane, and jumped out of the emergency exit. The plane crashed about ten minutes later, and the impact split the plane into two, as the engines blew, incinerating half the plane, and killing all traces of the mystery gas.  
  
Meanwhile, in a secret lab located about 25 miles from the crash site...  
  
48-year-old Lillian Holt was awaiting important news. As she sat at her computer typing, a middle-aged man of about 55 entered the room. He was wearing a long white coat over a blue dress shirt. He was wearing a pair of beige khakis, and a black tie. On his jacket was a name tag adorned with the standard biohazard symbol, and his name: Perry Hall. As he approached the younger woman, he smiled.   
  
"It's done Lillian, I just heard from our contact."  
  
"Good, and the subjects?"  
  
"About 250 passengers on a plane that was forced down about 35 miles outside Sydney, and about 25-30 miles from us."  
  
"Excellent. And the lab experiments?"  
  
"The MA-45s and the MA-125s are ready, but Lillian, if I may say so, 25-30 miles is not really that far from here, what if the 'subjects' make there way here?"  
  
"Perry, we are deep underground, they won't reach us."  
  
"Okay, what about the S.T.A.R.S?"  
  
Lillian was growing frustrated, and lashed out. "THE S.T.A.R.S KNOW NOTHING!!" She calmed herself and added, "Don't worry, they will never know about our involvement, besides, I thought you wanted revenge? I helped you escape from prison, because you were the best in your field at the HCF. We can't afford to let 5 years of research just go to waste. The S.T.A.R.S will eventually come, but they haven't a snowball's chance in Hell of finding out about Gen-Tech Industries, or our involvement. Besides, nobody will ever believe that a former HCF scientist would join forces with a former Umbrella agent. So, go take the rest of the day off and relax."  
  
With that, Perry headed to the second level sleeping quarters, and watched some talk shows before taking a long nap.  
  
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(Not part of the story)  
  
Well, what do you all think? I'm sorry it's been so long since my last chapter. Hopefully they'll come more frequently now that I've come up with some more ideas. By the way, apologies to anyone who may have already thought of the name Gen-Tech Industries. I haven't read every story on this site, so I promise I'm not stealing. Please read-'n'-review. 


	6. Night on the Town

Night on the Town  
  
The young S.T.A.R.S decided to go to the local club. It was a nice sized nightclub located a few miles outside New Raccoon, aptly named "The Hot Spot." It was the best club in the county, and tonight was "18 and under Night." As everyone relaxed, Britney went to the DJ and requested one of her favorite songs. Everyone was loosening up and having a good time, except for Rick.   
  
"Hey, cap', what's wrong?" asked Joe.  
  
"Yeah," added Mike, "You look a little down."  
  
"It's nothing guys. I was just thinking about what happened this morning on Belford, you know, the hostage thing. I came so close to losing it. What if that happens again, and I let go, I mean, that could get someone killed."  
  
"Hey," said Dan, "Don't worry about it. I've seen you loose your cool before, but never during a hostage situation. We trust you. If we didn't, we wouldn't listen to you, we would go straight to my father. I hope I can be as good a leader for Bravo team as you are for Alpha."  
  
The serious conversation was interrupted by Stephanie, who was standing with Tiffanie, Liz, and Alyssa, as she looked out on the dance floor watching Britney.  
  
"Oh, brother," Stephanie sighed, "There she goes."  
  
"I'm a, sla-ave... 4 U...I cannot hold it, I cannot control it, I'm a, sla-ave 4 U, I can't deny it, i'm not trying to hide it..." The music blared across the interior, and as Stephanie had pointed out, there was Britney, mimicking the seductive dance moves of her favorite singer, and loving every moment. Rick started to look, and he couldn't help but admire her courage on the dance floor. Nobody had imitated Britney Spears' dance moves for a few years, in spite of the fact that the pop diva, now pushing 40, still sold a decent amount of records, and was being reputed as the "new" Madonna. Rick was suddenly taken aback when he realized that she was lip-synching and as she danced, she was looking directly at him. The next moment was even more shocking as she pointed to him and lip-synched the next line, "...Baby, don't U wanna... dance up on me..."  
  
His staring was suddenly interrupted by his sister's voice, "Whoa," Liz teased, "Go get her stud!"   
  
Everyone was shocked and couldn't help laughing, because Rick's face suddenly went from it's normally light complexion, to a deep shade of red. It was so funny because Rick did not usually get embarrassed at all. But then, Rick surprised everyone by actually joining Brit on the dance floor. His dancing was rather questionable, but his teammates were happy to see him forget about things for awhile. The truth was, Rick was always hard on himself. That was because he knew, as a leader, one mistake could cost his team their mission, even their lives, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself. Liz knew better than anyone. When they were little, Liz fell and broke her arm. She and Rick had been playing on the jungle jim, and Rick let his attention wander for a split second, and Liz fell. Leon and Claire were upset with him, since he was three years older, but nowhere near as upset as he was. It was from that day forth, that Rick had become a perfectionist, at least when it came to his own actions.  
  
Hunter and Stephanie soon joined the other dancers as well, which was a surprise as well. Stephanie and Hunter did not particularly care for Britney Spears, but even they couldn't help admitting that some of her music was rather infectious, and sometimes, even the most stalwart Britney detractors couldn't help themselves.  
  
Meanwhile... on the shore of a secluded lake, at the edge of a forest, located about 20 miles north of Sydney...  
  
A young brunette woman was swimming out to an anchored raft. She was impatiently waiting for her boyfriend, who was taking his sweet time joining her for an afternoon dip.  
  
"C'mon Jay, the water's great!"   
  
"Alright babe, I'll be right in, I just have to get something from the tent." A young, dark-haired man responded.   
  
"Okay, but hurry, I might 'accidentally' lose my bikini or something."  
  
The young man, Jay, decided to hurry, but when he reached the camp, he was shocked by what he saw. Before the frightened man could run, he was seized from all sides.  
  
"What're you doing, please, stay away..." he begged. "Whatever you want, take it! please, just don...no...n- AARRGHH!!"  
  
The woman waited on the raft, and decided to go see what was taking so long, when she heard the gurgling screams.   
  
"Jay, stop, you know I scare easily," she called. "C'mon now, it's not funny. Jay, answer me."  
  
As she approached the campsite, she saw it. About three people were hunched over something, as if to eat, and as she got closer, she saw her boyfriend, or rather what was left of him, lying in a puddle of deep red. She was too terrified to scream, and as she turned away to run, one of them grabbed at her ankle, and pulled her toward itself, she struggled, kicking at it. She finally broke free, but not before the thing bit into her ankle. She managed to get up, and limped toward the lake, hoping she could get away by swimming. She began to feel woozy as she reached the water's edge, but she was determined to escape. She began to stroke toward the raft, hoping those things couldn't swim. However, as she reached the halfway point, her wound began to affect her stroke. She began to thrash at the water, and started to swallow the brackish water. She couldn't swim anymore. She had lost too much blood, and her leg was numbing. She sank below the surface, struggled to the top, and then sank again, she knew she was going to die. The last thing she saw was a small school of fish, and then water poured in through her nose and her mouth, and as she began to breathe in, she blacked out. It was over, she would never see the light of day again.  
  
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NOTE  
  
I know this chapter was a little short, but I felt it was a good idea to end the chapter with a zombie attack, and it's aftermath. Soon the S.T.A.R.S will be called to action, but I wanted to lay the foundation for a couple of relationships. Apologies to Britney Spears fans for using her songs in a story, and also to those of you who don't like her. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a fan myself, which is why I named, and modeled Britney Barrett after her, and also why I use her songs in the story. Please don't take offense whether you're a fan or not. Hopefully, the chapters will be a little longer from now on, and a little more frequent. I'm still trying to come up with some different types of creatures for the story, so it'll probably be more zombies at first. Please continue to R&R. 


	7. Gruesome Discoveries

Gruesome Discoveries  
  
Australia, 3 hours after the incident at Bentzen Lake...  
  
Ranger Ken Wood was conducting a routine patrol around the small campgrounds of Bentzen Lake. He loved his job because of the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air. The small community of Hessenauer Falls was his home, and he wanted to keep it, and the surrounding area safe. Statistically, Hessenauer was probably the most crime-free community in the world. That was until now. Ken was about to make a startling, or rather, shocking discovery. He was walking through the wooded area when he found the remains of 19-year-old Jay Harford. The body was missing it's right leg, as well as the index and middle fingers of the left hand. But even more disturbing was the gaping hole in it's abdominal area. It looked as if it had literally been ripped apart. He nearly threw up at the sight, but resisted the urge. He made the call to the station and within twenty minutes, the deputy and forensics team showed up at the site, and they couldn't believe their eyes.  
  
"Jesus, Ken. I've never seen anything like this at all." Dr. Peter Daltry, the local coroner, continued, "It looks like he was attacked by some sort of wild, powerful animal. What the hell could've done this?"  
  
"I don't know," said Ken, "but something about this seems strangely familiar. I've never witnessed anything like this myself, but, why does this seem like a bad case of deja vu?"  
  
At that moment, Sheriff Roger Townsend arrived on the scene. "What the hell was my lunch interrupted for, Wood?" The sheriff was always cranky when his lunch break got interrupted, but he was generally a kind person. When he saw the body, he almost lost his lunch. "What in heaven's name happened?"  
  
"Sheriff!" The deputy called from the lake shore, "We've got another one."   
  
When they all checked the lake, they found the body of 19-year-old Jenny Prebble. The pale, bloated skin, as well as the bluish lips indicated that she had drowned, but they noticed where a chunk of her calf, near her ankle, had been torn out.   
  
"Damn," said Sheriff Townsend, "she must've tried to swim to the raft after the attack, but the wound was too much, and she probably drowned because of it."  
  
"C'mon, let's get these bodies outta here, and back to town. We'll have them examined there." Townsend continued, "We need to keep this under wraps until we know more.  
  
Meanwhile, back in New Raccoon...  
  
Rick was driving home from the club, thinking about the events from earlier. He had known Britney Barrett for a year-and-a-half now, but he had never thought about her much. He decided to turn on the radio. He turned on the lite station, and as if on cue, he heard the disc jockey announce a request.  
  
"Welcome back to the late-night request hour here on Lite FM. Our next song is an oldie but a goodie. This one goes out to Rick from Brit."   
  
After the announcement, Rick heard the song playing. "Don't, don't let me be the last to know. Don't... hold back... just let it go..."  
  
Rick had never been a huge fan of the artist, but he did enjoy some of her music, and this was one of his favorites. As the song played, he reflected back to earlier, and remembered slow dancing with Britney to this very song. He remembered the look on the faces of his sister and their friends as they watched him and Brit on the dance floor. It was certainly a night he would always remember. He just hoped that it wouldn't make things awkward on missions, since technically, he was her superior officer. He decided not to think about it, and enjoyed the rest of the ride back to the dorms.  
  
Hessenauer Falls, Australia: 6 pm...  
  
Sheriff Townsend was watching TV, when his phone rang. "Hello, Sheriff Townsend here."  
  
"Sheriff," it was Dr. Daltry, "You're not going to believe this. I examined those bodies we found, and as suspected, the girl definitely drowned, but tests show the wound was inflicted before she even got to the water. The boy was not killed by an animal. According to my analysis, he was eaten alive."  
  
"WHAT! Are you pulling my leg here Daltry?"  
  
"I wish I was Sheriff. But that's not all. The abdomen was ripped apart, and his insides were eaten. Sheriff, the teeth marks were made by humans, about three different sets of teeth were responsible for the wounds. One of those sets also inflicted the damage to the girl's leg. I don't think I need to tell you this, but we have what's probably some sort of cannibal cult. The thing I don't get is that normal human beings couldn't do this sort of damage without some sort of weapon, but the tests indicate that the wounds were indeed inflicted by bare human hands. Human nail filings were found inside the wound."  
  
"Oh my God. Alright Pete, I'm going to call Ranger Wood, and warn him about this."  
  
Suddenly, the sheriff heard an awful moaning on the other end of the line, followed by the panicked screams of Pete Daltry, which were suddenly cut off. He then noticed what sounded like someone eating. He hung up the phone, and rushed out the door.   
  
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Note  
  
Well, another chapter finished. I hope you liked it. Just for the record, I checked my facts, and the time near Sydney, Australia is 14 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast so, as an example, if it's 2pm Friday, August 8 on the East Coast of the U.S.A, then it would be 4am Saturday, August 9 in Sydney. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please, don't be afraid to let me know how I'm doing. I accept all reviews, including constructive criticism, but please don't flame me. 


	8. The Morning After

The Morning After  
  
*New Raccoon, 9am...  
  
Chris Redfield was just starting his day when the phone rang.  
  
"S.T.A.R.S Headquarters, Redfield speaking."  
  
"Chris, it's James..." the voice was U.N. Head Speaker James Michaels, the first chief of S.T.A.R.S International. He and Chris had always been good friends, so there was never need for formalities.  
  
"What can I do for you Jim?"  
  
"We just recieved a call from a man named Roger Townsend about an hour ago. He's the sheriff of Hessenauer Falls, Australia. He says that their has been a problem that the S.T.A.R.S needs to attend to. It seems that three people have died as a result of..., Uh, how can I say this..., well it looks like we have another 'cannibal disease' case on our hands."  
  
"What? Jim, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I...I know it sounds a little farfetched, but this guy says that he saw a girl eating his friend at the local coroner's office. Apparently, they had found two bodies that had been eaten, or bitten. The girl that he saw, was found dead at the local campgrounds, at about 3pm this afternoon, Australia time. The girl had drowned while swimming with a deep bite wound, near her ankle. Her boyfriend had been found missing a leg, and two fingers. His abdomen had been literally ripped open. Sound familiar?"  
  
"How? I mean, Umbrella and the HCF have been out of business for the last 26 years. Who the hell would start messing with Bio-weapons again?"  
  
"I don't know, but I need your team to investigate as soon as possible, if this is another virus, we need to stop it from spreading again. I've arranged for you to meet with Sheriff Townsend, and the local park ranger who discovered the bodies. I've arranged for you all to meet at Sydney International Airport. A military transport jet will be waiting for you at the New Raccoon Airport at noon. You will arrive in California some three, maybe four hours later. You will then transfer to another plane, and head for Sydney. You should arrive in Sydney at 4pm tomorrow, Sydney time. Once you find out whether this is a virus or not, take the appropriate action, and see if you can find out who's behind it."  
  
As Chris was listening to Jim, Leon and Jill came into the office. "Alright Jim, we'll prepare to leave immediately."  
  
"So Chris, what's going on?"  
  
"Trouble, Leon, with a capital B."  
  
"What is it Chris?" asked Jill.  
  
"There's been an incident in Australia. Apparently, a couple of college students were found dead at a campground around Bentzen Lake, near Hessenauer Falls."  
  
"What's that got to do with us?" Leon asked.  
  
"Everything Leon. The victims were apparently eaten, by humans."  
  
"You mean..." Jill stumbled over the word as she uttered with dread, "...zombies." It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
"Yeah, zombies, and Lord knows what else. We need to be at the airport by 12 noon. Get the teams together in the meeting room, they're about to get a crash course in Bio-Terrorism countermeasures."  
  
"Did Jim say who was behind it all?"  
  
"No Jill, he hopes we'll find out. Let's just hope that Hessenauer Falls doesn't become another Raccoon City."  
  
*20 minutes later...  
  
All the members of Bravo team and Alpha team were awaiting the arrival of Chris and the others.  
  
"So what do you think is going on Rick?"  
  
"I'm not sure Tiff, but it must be big if they want to see all of us."  
  
Chris walked into the meeting room and addressed the teams.  
  
"An emergency has been brought to our attention. For some of you, this will be the most dangerous assignment you've ever been on. And for some of you, it could be the last. I'm sure all of you know about the events that led up to the Shutdown of '99. If not, let me give you a recap. Back in 1998, a hidden lab in the Arklay Mountains, outside of Raccoon City, was besieged by a deadly virus. Some people and animals were infected by this T-virus and literally became zombified. At first people thought it was a serial killer, then it was given the name 'cannibal disease.' Many people were killed, and the S.T.A.R.S were sent in to investigate. As things progressed, the entire Bravo team was slaughtered, with the exception of Joe and Mike's mother, Rebecca. Our captain, Albert Wesker was found to be a traitor, as was the Chief of police, Brian Irons. Anyway, nobody believed our reports, and as a result, the S.T.A.R.S were shut down, and eventually, Raccoon City was literally blown off the face of the planet. The few of us that were left continued the investigation, and finally brought about the end of Umbrella Inc. and their rivals, the HCF."  
  
"With all due respect, Chief, we know about all this. What we want to know is, what does this have to do with us?"  
  
"Everything Rick. Two people were found dead in Australia, near Sydney. The people were victims of similar attacks. The male was found, partially eaten, and the girl was found drowned. However, the girl had a deep bite wound near her ankle. According to the Sheriff of Hessenauer Falls, the girl "awakened" in the coroner's office, and attacked the coroner. The Sheriff arrived on the scene, and saw her eating the man. He shot her in the head, killing her for good. We don't know who's behind it, but U.N. Speaker James Michaels needs us to investigate and find out. We will be leaving for Australia at noon. Make sure you all have your supplies and strong weapons. We will decide on a plan after we speak to the sheriff."  
  
After the meeting, many of the members were stunned by what they had heard. Others still couldn't believe they were about to go after zombies. It all seemed like something out of an old horror movie, but one thing they all knew was, they had never been on a mission like this, and they hoped they never would again.  
  
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Note  
  
Well, there's another chapter. Please keep reading, and reviewing. 


	9. Arrival

Arrival  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now beginning our descent into Australia, please fasten your seatbelts, and make sure you're caught up on old reruns of 'Crocodile Hunter,' we don't want to sound stupid when we talk to the sheriff."   
  
Everyone chuckled a little. They were used to Christine's happy-go-lucky personality, but for some reason, it seemed more appropriate this time. They all looked out the windows of the transport plane, and were awed by the sight of the beautiful Sydney skyline. Here it was, the middle of November, and it was late-spring, early summer weather in Australia. They almost forgot about the terrible situation they were about to be tested in. Hunter was lost in thought, as he tried to figure out how the hell they had ended up getting stuck, smack dab in the middle of a bad 1970's horror film. Rick and Dan were up front with Chris, Leon, Jill, and Rebecca discussing possible strategies. Claire and Billy were taking a separate flight, and would be there the next day. By that time, Alpha Team and Bravo Team would be out investigating these 'zombie' murders. Tiffanie, Liz, Alyssa, Joe, and Mike were checking supplies, making sure they had what they needed, otherwise they would have to make due with whatever Sheriff Townsend could supply them with. Britney, Stephanie, Jake, and Tabby were all sleeping, the long flight having taken it's toll. The faint sound of Britney Spears could be heard from the headphones worn by Brit. Nothing new there, since the light pop music relaxed her whenever she was nervous about something. Suddenly, the silence was broken by Rick's monotone voice.  
  
"Okay everyone, listen up. We are now approaching the runway. When we leave the plane, we will meet with the sheriff and find out exactly what we need to know. Afterwards, we will split up into our teams, suit up, and start the investigation. The murders we are looking into took place at a campground located on the shores of Bentzen Lake. The Bravo team will take the northern area of the site, and Alpha will take the south end. The local authorities have offered the use of their choppers, so we will take them up on their generosity. At this point, we are only investigating, not engaging. However, if something happens, and any of us come face-to-face with these creatures, then aim for the head. As we know from the files on Umbrella and the HCF, that is the only way to destroy these things. Chief Redfield will be handing out some classified information regarding the types of creatures that were encountered 26 years ago. This information will also be given to Sheriff Townsend, and the park ranger that discovered the bodies. This way, they will also be informed. Now, relax and enjoy the last five minutes on the plane, because once we leave this transport, it's go time!"  
  
*15 minutes later...  
  
"Sheriff Townsend?"  
  
"Yeah mate. And you are...?" The two men shook hands, as Chris introduced himself.  
  
"Chief Chris Redfield, International S.T.A.R.S. These are my team leaders, Rick Kennedy of the Alpha Team, and my son, Dan Redfield of the Bravo Team. The rest of the teams are unloading our supplies."  
  
"I'm glad you were able to get here so soon. I've been doing my homework, and I see that you were involved in the late 90's investigation of Umbrella, and the HCF. Is that what you think this case involves, Umbrella?"  
  
"I'm not sure sheriff, but we do believe it has something to do with bio-weapons research. All the facts we've been given point to that realization. What we need from you, is a map, or layout of the area surrounding the crime scene. And if you could provide a guide or two to help with our search, it would be great."  
  
"No worries, mate. I got the man for the job. The ranger who discovered the bodies is waitin' for us back at the station in Hessenauer."  
  
Everyone finished gathering their supplies, and 20 minutes later, they were en route to Hessenauer Falls. Thirty minutes later, they arrived in town, and prepared to meet their guide. As they entered the station, which seemed like a small apartment compared to S.T.A.R.S headquarters, they saw a familiar face. The tension in the air thickened considerably when they saw who their would-be guide was.   
  
"Hello Rick. Long time, no see."  
  
Nobody said a word as they came face-to-face with former Alpha team leader, Ken Wood. 


	10. Notsohappy Reunion

Not-so-happy Reunion  
  
Everyone just looked on quietly as Rick left the office. It wasn't hard for the sheriff to see that there were unresolved problems between the two young men. The other S.T.A.R.S members knew about their history, but they were still a bit shocked to see their former teammate. After a few minutes, a few of the members began to shake hands with, and speak to the former S.T.A.R.S member, but others were obvioiusly less than thrilled about the prospect of reuniting with Ken.   
  
"Hey mate, what's the deal here?" Townsend asked.  
  
Chris explained, "Ken used to be the leader of Alpha team, before Rick was promoted. Ken and Rick were actually good friends at one time, but something went wrong during an Alpha team mission, and the relationship soured. Citing an inability to work with his teammates, Ken left the team. This is the first time we've seen him since that happened, about a year ago, give or take a month or two."  
  
"What happened between them?"  
  
"Well, according to the report, Ken made a bad decision that caused a mission to fail. Most of us at S.T.A.R.S knew he honestly felt that he had control of the situation, and we let him off with a reprimand. Rick, however, wasn't so forgiving."  
  
"So this animosity is because of a bad decision? Hasn't your current captain ever made a bad decision?"  
  
"Yes, I have..." everyone looked as Rick walked back in and glared at Ken. If looks could kill, Ken would've been on his way to the morgue. "...But my decisions have never gotten innocent people killed!"  
  
"Well, c'mon then, what happened?" Sheriff Townsend demanded. "We need you two to be professional if we want to solve this case, and if the two of you can't get along, then this situation will continue to escalate."  
  
Rick looked at the sheriff, and explained. "Fine. About a year ago, a disgruntled building superintendent threatened to blow up the 10-story apartment complex where he worked. Four members of the Alpha team were sent in to handle the situation. Ken, myself, and two others. When we arrived, we found out that all but one of the cables to the elevator had been snapped. There were about ten people trapped inside, and the bomb was allegedly attached to the bottom of the elevator. Ken decided that we needed to get the people out, but he believed the elevator door had been rigged, so he decided to try and go in from the top. I told him that there would be too much weight for the one frayed cable to handle, but he didn't listen. He was the leader, so in his own mind, it was the right decision. The other two members, Reneè Aguilera and Marcus Ciccone were told to go down the shaft, and help the civilians out of the elevator, and up the shaft to the above floor. Despite protests, they did what they were told. The last cable snapped, and as you probably figured out by now, Reneè, Marcus, and the civilians were all killed. They were killed, because he was too high and mighty to take advice from his second-in-command. I lost two of my best friends, and ten innocent civilians were lost as well. There's also the fact that I thought we were going to die, as well as an apartment building full of tenants, but luckily, there was no bomb. But that doesn't change the fact that Reneè and Marcus, and others died needlessly..." Rick's temper began to flare, and he was poised to attack as he shouted, "They died because you were too damned stubborn to listen to anyone else! Because you were the leader and were not to be questioned!"  
  
Dan and Hunter, who were the only teammembers stronger than Rick, grabbed him and held him back.   
  
"Calm down Rick!" shouted Dan, "dwelling on the past is not going to help us now! You think we don't miss Reneè and Marcus too?! We do, but damn it, there's nothing we can do about it now! It was a year ago, let it go!"  
  
Finally, Ken chimed in, "How many times do I have to apologize? I think about what happened every single night! It was my failure that made me leave S.T.A.R.S. I let you down, I let Reneè and Marcus down. But more importantly, I let ten people down. Ten people who needed my help, but died because I was cocky and overconfident! Ten innocent people died because I was arrogant, and believed I could do things my own way without consequence! But dammit, Rick, I've changed! After hating myself for most of the last year, I resolved to change. To be a better person. And I've done that. But the question here is: Can you? Can you get over yourself long enough to listen to us, and take our advice seriously? Can you come down off that self-righteous perch of yours long enough to make this mission succeed. I'm willing to follow your lead, and so is everyone else, but we need you to be the leader everyone believes you to be. This situation is not about our past, it is about the present and the future. For your own sake, and for our sakes, leave the past behind! That's the only way we can succeed here."  
  
Liz went over to Rick, who finally calmed down. Liz patted her brother on his upper back.  
  
"I hate to admit it, but he's right big brother."  
  
"What? You think I'm self-righteous too?"  
  
"No. That's one thing you're not. But you do have to let go. I know how you felt about Reneè. And I also know, that you blame yourself for what happened, almost as much as you blame Ken. You forget, noone knows you better than I do, not even mom and dad."  
  
"You're right. It's time to let go and move on." He looked over at Ken, and while he wasn't ready to reconcile completely, he took a step in that direction as he nodded in Ken's direction and said, "You're right, we need to work together, and I'm willing to do that, but can you follow orders?"  
  
Ken looked at Rick and replied, "I don't know, try giving me one."  
  
After a tense moment of silence, Rick said, "Your first direct order is to accept my apology for getting out of line."  
  
Ken gave kind of a half-smile and said, "Yes, sir. Now if you don't mind, captain, I'd like to get underway."  
  
With that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and headed out.  
  
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Note:  
  
Well, I hope that wasn't too short. I don't count the words as I type. Anyway, I hope you liked the latest character-driven chapter. Fear not, the action will start up soon. I'm trying to get most of the character-development out of the way, so I can concentrate more on action later. I don't know who's all reading this, because I haven't gotten many reviews up to this point, but whoever's reading, I hope you're enjoying it. 


	11. The Investigation Begins

The Investigation Begins  
  
Alpha Team   
  
Rick sat silently as the Alpha team chopper flew toward the Bentzen Lake campground. The sudden reintroduction to Ken Wood unsettled him. It brought back too many painful memories that he had tried to put behind him over the past several months. Liz had been right about him blaming himself almost as much as he blamed Ken for the deaths of Reneè and Marcus. It had been the first time he'd lost comrades on a mission, and the fact that he had been falling for Officer Aguilera made it worse. Meanwhile, on the other side of the chopper, Britney watched him closely. Everyone had known about Rick and Reneè, including herself. She had never given up hope, however, that she and Rick would click some day. Reneè's death had temporarily stopped her pursuit of Captain Kennedy, because she knew it was wrong to try and capitalize on a friend's death. Rick had seemed to be over the pain, but as seen in the office some ten or fifteen minutes ago, he still had the memory in the back of his mind.   
  
In the front of the chopper, Hunter piloted the craft with a smile on his face. He was doing what he loved to do, and sitting next to him was his good friend Joe. They were trying to hide the fact that they were worried about this mission.  
  
"...I mean, zombies? Isn't that a bit far-fetched?" asked the Alpha team pilot.  
  
"Well, we've seen the proof 'H'. I can't believe it myself, but I can't wait to plant a nice big chunk of C4 up the ass of whoever's behind this. I mean, 20+ years ago, people saw -first hand, I might add- the trouble caused by tampering with living DNA and viruses. Christ! Our parents put an end to the first perpetrators, and now we are dealing with the same thing as they did. When will people ever learn?"  
  
"I get you, buddy. But unfortunately, we don't know who's behind this, so you'll just have to save that plastique explosive until we find them."  
  
"Alright guys and gals..." said Ken, "We're nearing the campsite. Make sure you've got your equipment ready. Who knows, there could be more of those things down there. We've got about an hour of daylight left, and about 20 or more miles of forest to comb."  
  
After a brief explanation of the terrain, Hunter landed the Lake Patrol helicopter in the water next to a small dock. It was the same dock where the bodies were found.  
  
Bravo Team  
  
As Jake piloted the Bravo Team chopper toward the northern end of the forest, they saw what looked like the remains of a crashed plane. It was situated in a small clearing, and the trees in the area were obviously knocked down by the crashing plane.   
  
"Captain! I see something below us!"   
  
"What is it Jake?" Asked Dan.  
  
"It looks like a recent plane crash. But why didn't the sheriff tell us about it?"  
  
"He probably doesn't even know about it. But we should investigate. Set this thing down as close to the crash site as you can, I'll get Stephanie to contact Rick and the others, and let them know that we are taking a slight detour to search for possible survivors."  
  
After about five minutes, the helicopter was on the ground, and Bravo team was moving toward the crash site. As they approached the downed plane, they could see that the front of the plane had been decimated by a huge explosion, which probably killed the cockpit crew instantly, along with most of the first class passengers. The whole area stunk of burned flesh, but as they approached the coach section, they noticed that most of the bodies were gone, as if they had vanished from existence. Mike, the demolitions expert, noticed something strange near the wing section.  
  
"Hey, Dan, over here!"  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"This was no accident. There's bomb residue here. This plane was sabotaged."  
  
"Son-of-a..."  
  
Christine, the Bravo team medic interrupted her older brother, "Dan, the pilot's seat is empty."  
  
"What? but how?"  
  
"Well, it's a pretty safe bet that the pilot had something to do with the crash. The rest of the crew, or what's left of them, all have bullet holes in them. One in the chest, in the heart. The other two were shot between the eyes. This was a professional job. Someone wanted this plane to crash."  
  
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(A/N)  
  
Well, this was a short chapter, but I wanted to end it in a cliffhanger of sorts. For those who need a refresher, here is the list of both teams:  
  
ALPHA / BRAVO  
  
Rick Kennedy, leader / Dan Redfield, leader  
  
Ken Wood, former leader / Mike Coen, demolitions  
  
Joe Coen, demolitions / Christine Redfield, medic  
  
Liz Kennedy, medic / Alyssa Redfield, communications  
  
Britney Barrett, communications / Tabitha Marx, computer specialist  
  
Tiffanie Barrett, computer specialist / Stephanie Dumas, secondary communications  
  
Hunter Barrett, pilot / Jake Marx, pilot 


	12. Sole Survivor

Sole Survivor  
  
Bravo Team  
  
Dan and the others noticed that, although the front of the plane was totally destroyed, the rear of the plane was in relatively good condition. It had been severely damaged, to be sure, but compared to the front it was in "good" condition. However, just like the front, the seats in the coach section were unoccupied. This was puzzling to Dan and the others.  
  
"I don't understand this," said Chrissy, "Where are all the passengers? I mean, they couldn't have all just disappeared. This section of the plane is, for the most part, in one piece. There should be bodies in these seats."  
  
"Well," said Tabitha, "I, for one, am glad we didn't find any."  
  
Suddenly, as if on cue, the plane's bathroom door flung open, and a female body fell out on top of her.  
  
"AAAAHH!!" Tabby screamed as the lifeless body knocked her to the floor, landing on top of her.  
  
Instinctively, Jake drew his gun and rushed over to his sister's side, gun aimed at the head of the body.   
  
"Wait!" shouted Dan, as he made his way back to Jake and Tabby. "Chris, check 'er out."  
  
Chrissy, the field medic, checked for a pulse, and made a startling discovery.  
  
Alpha Team  
  
Rick and Joe slowly made their way back to the tent where the male victim's body had been eaten. They were looking for clues, and hopefully, evidence that their had been some illegal experimentation going on. Rick heard Liz's voice down near the dock.  
  
"Rick, I've found something!"   
  
Rick approached her and noticed she was crouched down, examining something on the ground.  
  
"Look. There's some sort of slimy residue here. I'm guessing this is where the girl had been attacked, just before she made it into the lake. There's signs of her dragging her foot, all the way to the water."  
  
"Yeah, but that's not all." Ken mentioned, "Look at the way the drag marks seem to double in depth from this point on. Whatever attacked her, tried to follow her into the water, but she drowned before it could get to her."  
  
All the talk about things trying to attack girls around, or in, water made Britney a little nervous. She knew all too well what the girl must've been feeling as she struggled to swim to the raft, only to surrender to the dark depths of Bentzen Lake. Frankly, the thought kind of made her sick to her stomach.   
  
"Uh guys, I'm finding this a little unsettling. I mean, with it being my first mission as a S.T.A.R.S member and all."  
  
Tiffanie knew her sister too well. Britney's unsettled feeling had much more to do with her fear of drowning, than her nervousness about this being her first official mission.  
  
"Liz," Rick started to ask, "Is there any way you can get a sample of that stuff for analysis?"  
  
"Sure. I'll only be a minute."  
  
Just then, someone, or something, came up out of the lake and slowly began to move toward Liz.  
  
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Joe, as he saw the human-like creature, and he fired his assault rifle, filling it's torso with bullets.   
  
The force of the impact knocked it down. As Liz jumped up to move away, it began to get back up.  
  
"What the hell?!" exclaimed Joe, "How is that damn thing still living?"  
  
As it got back to it's feet, the creature moved toward Tiffanie, but not for long, as a shot from Ken's 9mm 'samurai's edge' put a bullet in it's left temple, killing it instantly.  
  
Bravo Team  
  
"She's alive!" exclaimed Christine, as she checked for a pulse.   
  
The girl's eyes fluttered open and she screamed as she saw the members of Bravo team close in on her.  
  
"Who...Who are you?" The girl asked. She had a slight Australian accent, as if she had only lived in Australia for few years. She looked to be about college age, and her dark brown hair looked black in the dim light. Her surprise was evident in the widened gaze of her green eyes. Dan introduced himself and the others by name, and then stated their business.  
  
"We're members of the International S.T.A.R.S Bravo team. We're investigating some strange events that have taken place here recently. We stumbled upon this plane, and decided to investigate. Miss?..."  
  
"Alden," she replied, "Taylor Alden."  
  
"Miss Alden," Dan continued, "I know you're a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but I must ask, what happened here? What happened to all the other passengers?"  
  
"I, I...I'm not sure really. I was in the bathroom, when the captain announced that we needed to put on our oxygen masks, because of some loss in cabin pressure. I was on my way out the door when I heard a thunderous boom, like an explosion. Just then, the plane lurched, and I fell back. I felt my head hit the wall, and then I blacked out. That's all I remember. I'm terribly sorry, I really can't say what happened...to..." Taylor began to trail off as she got her first look at the carnage.  
  
"Oh my God, " she said, as her eyes welled up, "There was an explosion, wasn't there? Am I the only one left?"  
  
"We don't know. I hate to sound morbid, but there's no way everyone would've survived this crash. Frankly, I'm surprised you did. The thing is, there are no bodies. It's like they all disappeared. Whatever happened ma'am..."  
  
Taylor cut him off, "Please, call me Taylor." she said, still upset and shaken.  
  
"As I was saying ma...uh, Taylor, we believe that you are the sole survivor."  
  
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(A/N)  
  
Well another chapter finished. Please, continue reading. And please get those reviews started up again, I really would like to know what you guys think. 


	13. Searching for Answers

Searching for Answers  
  
Bravo Team  
  
"No." Taylor said, stunned. "This can't be. There have to be others. I mean, this plane has been deserted. They have to be alive, they have to!" Taylor began to become more emotional.  
  
"Taylor?" Dan asked, "Who are they? You sound like you were traveling with someone." Taylor just sat their crying, not responding right away. Dan continued, "Please Taylor. We need to know, otherwise we can't help you find whoever it is you're missing. I realize you're hurting, and afraid for your friends, but..." Dan was interrupted.  
  
"My brother, " she began, "My older brother Robert. And my sister-in-law Kelsey. We were traveling together. We were flying to New York, where we came from. We were going to see our parents for their twenty-fifth anniversary." She began to cry harder, "Oh God," she said between sobs, "What am I going to do without him? He was all I had down here. We were so close. I moved down here two years ago, and he and Kelsey took me in when I had nowhere else to go. Oh, and Kelsey... she was such a wonderful person, so selfless. Dear God how could this happen?!"  
  
Alyssa came over to console the grief-stricken girl, who couldn't have been more than about 19 or 20. Dan mouthed the words 'thank you' as his sister took his place. Dan was always a caring person, but sensitivity wasn't necessarily his strong suit.  
  
Stephanie was in the cockpit with Chrissy, trying to piece together what may have happened, when Stephanie looked out the window.  
  
"Oh hell no!" was all Steph could say.  
  
Chrissy looked out as well, and added, "What the hell?... DAN!" she called her brother, "You might wanna see this!"  
  
Alpha Team  
  
"What the hell was that?!" asked Liz, as she finished collecting the slimy residue from the ground.  
  
"That was one of the things that attacked Dr. Daltry in the coroner's office. Sheriff Townsend described it to me when he called me."  
  
Rick walked over to Ken. "Hey, Wood. Nice work there. You may have saved my sister's life. Thanks."   
  
As Rick extended his hand, Liz smiled to herself. Swallowing his pride didn't come easily to her big brother, but when he did, he was always sincere about it. She happily continued working, listening discreetly to the conversation between the two rivals.  
  
"Listen, Ken," Rick started, "I want to say I'm sorry. I realize that Reneè and Marcus's deaths aren't your fault. I know you never would've asked them to do something if you had even the slightest idea that it would get them killed. And before you say it, I'm not just saying this because you helped Liz. I mean it. It's been on my mind since we left town."  
  
"Thanks," Ken responded, "That means alot."  
  
"Gee," Liz said, teasingly, "Humble pie looks pretty damn good on you big bro'."   
  
There was a faint chuckle from the other members of the team, prompting Rick to respond jokingly.  
  
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it." He addressed everyone, and gave a playful wink to his sister.  
  
"So Liz?" Joe began to ask, "What's the verdict on that slime?"  
  
Liz was putting away her chemical analysis kit. It had been given to her as a graduation gift from Dr. Rebecca Chambers. "Well, I need a full lab to be certain, but this 'slime' is just teeming with some sort of viral concoction. If I had to guess, I would say that our zombie-friend here was created by this stuff. The person that became this creature probably inhaled it. But if the stories we heard about Raccoon City are completely true, then Ken may not have just saved my life. He may have saved me from a fate far worse than death."  
  
Bravo Team  
  
Dan rushed to the cockpit after hearing Christine's call. "What have you found?" he asked.  
  
"It's not what we found..." Chrissy responded, "...but it just might be what found us, look."  
  
Looking out the cockpit window, Dan saw what looked like about fifteen members of the recently-turned undead moving toward the plane. Most of them were in casual, but torn, clothing. He also noticed that a couple of the former women were wearing stewardess uniforms. It didn't take a genius to realize that the zombies had probably been victims of the plane crash.   
  
"Damn!" shouted Dan. "Bravo Team, let's go! We gotta get the hell out of dodge! Stephanie or Alyssa, one of you two contact Alpha Team, let them know our current position, and what we've found, as well as who. Arm yourselves Bravo team, and make like bats outta Hell! We need to get back to the chopper. Taylor, you need to get in between us."  
  
They all did what they were told, and they began firing at the group of zombies, as they were blocking the path to the chopper. The zombies began to fall, one-by-one, but not all of them were staying down. As they got through the undead blockade, they noticed the chopper was surrounded by about ten more moaning corpses.  
  
"Jeezus," exclaimed Mike, "We're frickin' trapped!!"  
  
Alpha Team  
  
As Rick and the others headed deeper into the woods to investigate further, there was a crackling sound as Alyssa's panicky voice came over Britney's radio.   
  
"Alpha Team, do you read? We found a crashed plane about 10 miles north of the entrance to Bentzen Lake Campgrounds. There was a single survivor, and Mike discovered that an explosion had been purposely set off, causing the plane to go down. We are currently fighting off a horde of seemingly undead creatures. We are caught between two groups of fifteen or more, and request immediate assistance!!" The sound of gunfire rung out in the background, and Alpha team knew Bravo was in trouble.  
  
"Jesus." Rick responded. "You heard her, let's go!"  
  
They headed back to the chopper, and Britney radioed a reply, "Bravo Team, this is Alpha Team. Please hold on, we are on our way! ETA is about 15 minutes!"  
  
Liz and the others saw the worried look on Rick's face as he muttered to himself, "Please Dan, hold on, whatever the hell you do, don't get dead."  
  
-Approximately 15 minutes later-  
  
Alpha Team set down near the other chopper, and noticed immediately that the chopper was abandoned, and riddled with bullet holes, and several scratch marks. As they exited the 'copter, they saw bullet casings everywhere, and at least 20-30 corpses lying on the ground. The entire team suddenly felt a great sense of loss, but hoped that their comrades somehow survived. Suddenly they heard what sounded like something eating. They moved toward the sound and were amazed by what they saw. A small pack of about 6 wild dogs were munching on the remains of a few human bodies. But before any of the team could respond, the dingoes took notice, and while they stared wildly at the intruders, they began to growl, and drew back into an attack pattern. Suddenly the number of animals increased by two-thirds, as 4 more joined the pack.  
  
Alpha Team looked at Rick, and agreed as he expressed their shared sentiment, "OH HELL, this can't be good!"  
  
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A/N, and disclaimer:  
  
Finally finished a new chapter. Sorry for the long stretch. Thanks for your patience. BTW, I know I don't have to say this, but you may notice the double-meaning use of Jesus and God. Please keep in mind, that they are only being used for story and character purposes. Apologies to anyone who may be offended by such use of those names. Anyway, I hope to get another chapter up in less time than previous ones. Thanks, as always, to my readers. Especially my reviewers. I hope I can continue to please you all. :) 


	14. The Search For Bravo Team

The Search for Bravo Team  
  
Alpha Team  
  
Joe was the first to open fire. The powerful discharge of his specially designed M75 assault rifle began to create a path between the ten or more mutated dogs. However, it didn't seem to be enough, as each fallen dingo got back up, and continued to advance on the surprised S.T.A.R.S team.   
  
"What the hell? How do we kill these damned things?!" Joe shouted over the sound of his teammates' gunfire.  
  
"Aim for the head, it's the only way!" Rick shouted in response, "I know it's hard, but it's the only thing that'll kill'em!"  
  
The others did as Rick suggested, and soon, all but one were down for good. The one that was left seemed to be more advanced, and more evasive than the rest. Before he knew it, Joe was on his back, and the last member of the pack was on his chest, pinning him down. The unusually strong dingo thrust his gaping mouth down toward Joe's exposed neck, but with a thundering boom, the creature flew back and landed limp, it's skull having been penetrated by a 9mm parabellum round. Joe, who had his eyes closed, fearing the inevidable, slowly opened them, and after seeing the dead creature in front of him, turned his head to see the smoking barrel of Tiffanie's newly designed SP-17 S.T.A.R.S Special, aimed carefully at his torso where the monster had been perched.  
  
After about two seconds, Tiffanie turned her attention to the fallen corpse, "Chew on that, hellhound! I always did like cats better."  
  
Britney and Liz walked over and extended a hand each, which Joe grabbed, as they helped him back to his feet.   
  
"Whew!" Joe sighed, "Thanks Tiff. That was too close."  
  
"Alright people..." Rick said, "search the area for any sign of Bravo team. Liz, check those corpses. Make sure none of them are Bravo members. Hunter, check the chopper, see if there's any mechanical problems. Britney, keep trying to contact the others, and let me know if there's any response. Tiffanie, check over the plane and see if Bravo team missed anything. Ken, come with me, we're going to scout ahead about a mile, and see if there's any clues on the whereabouts of Dan and the others. Remember, we have radioes, so be sure to contact us if anything, or anyone turns up."  
  
The Underground Labs  
  
Lillian was down in one of the many experiment rooms with Perry, where they were checking on the new MA-125s. Of all the Gen-Tech guinea pigs, the 125s were Lillian's favorites. For starters, they were all female, so that there would be no breeding. Secondly, they were very social in nature, and as such, they were designed for hunting in groups of three or four. While they were far from being intellectual, like humans, they were capable of coordinating attack patterns and communicating when hunting their prey, or when being attacked. And, thanks to Perry's great biogenetic mind, they were infused with the latest viral serum. This concoction enabled recently destroyed creatures to be reanimated. It also regenerated muscle tissue at an alarmingly fast rate. These abilities take effect within an hour of the subject's death. In effect, the dead come back to life, stronger than before, and almost completely healed. The effects reminded Lillian of the V-ACTS, or "crimsonheads" from the Spencer mansion, almost three decades earlier. But this virus was still far superior. The effects on human experiments had varying degrees of success, but some of the more successful specimens were able to maneuver better, open closed doors, and in some cases, they could actually grab an enemy and throw them down, in order to stun the victim long enough to become the creature's next meal. When thes effects took place in a 125, however, the "Hunters" became deadlier than ever. They resembled the 121s from Umbrella's original BOW experiments, but with extended claws that resembled the "Lickers." The bones of the hunters became more durable after ressurection, which made it harder to penetrate the creatures' skulls. If the bodies do not get destroyed by fire, or if the creatures' brains are not destroyed the first time, then the reanimated creature would be far more difficult to destroy permanently. However, the downside was that only 1 out of every 10 specimens gained these viral effects. The other problem, or blessing, depending on personal point of view, was that the virus could only be spread through direct entry into the bloodstream, or respiratory system. While the virus can be contracted by breathing, it cannot survive in open air. It has to be inhaled through a breathing apparatus, so that it is fed directly into the victim's lungs. The only other ways to be exposed, are to have it injected, or if the victim is bitten. However, most victims are slashed to death by the hunters, so most victims of their attacks die, and stay dead. And of course, as always, zombies beget more zombies.  
  
"Well," said Lillian, "it looks like we have finally succeeded in creating the ultimate biogenetic virus. Perry, dear, you are a certifiable genius."  
  
"Thanks Lillian, but unfortunately, the T-500s are far from ready. If they are released prematurely, it could spell the end of our new venture, and Gen-Tech will never reach it's full potential. Also, our source tells me that the S.T.A.R.S have arrived, and are running an investigation as we speak. Now, I think it would be best if you would get away from here in case they show up here. I can stay and continue monitoring the progress of the T-500s."  
  
"I will not leave Hall! Have you forgotten who's in charge here? I want to see the progress first-hand."  
  
"Yes, you are in charge, Lillian, which is why Gen-Tech cannot afford to lose you. If you get caught, Gen-Tech dies. At least if I get caught, the other scientists can continue our work. The "Ressurection Virus" is complete, so all that's left to do is to monitor and record our specimens' development. I am, believe it or not, expendable at this point, but you aren't."  
  
"Fine. I'll go. I will set up a meeting with our source, and our investors, in an effort to get Gen-Tech up and running. It's funny when you think about it, isn't it?"  
  
"What do you mean, Lil'?"  
  
"I always thought UN Speaker James Michaels was a smart man. It's just too damn bad that he doesn't realize one of his most trusted associates is in league with us."  
  
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A/N  
  
And so the plot thickens. I hope you've enjoyed this particular chapter, as well as the others. Don't forget to leave your reviews!  
  
Next chapter, I hope to unravel the mystery of the missing Bravo Team. 


	15. Reunited

Reunited  
  
Home Base, Hessenauer Falls Police Station  
  
"I don't like this." Chris Redfield paced back and forth in the sheriff's office, visibly worried. "They've been gone too long without checking in."   
  
Indeed, it had been several hours since the Alpha and Bravo teams headed to Bentzen Lake Campgrounds to investigate the bizarre events that had recently taken place there. Chris's wife Jill was sitting in the waiting room of the stationhouse, also worried. They had been slightly concerned about the young S.T.A.R.S handling this investigation. The recent murders of two young college students were alarmingly similar to the crimes perpetrated by the Umbrella Corporation, and H.C.F, two, nearly three, decades earlier in Raccoon City and several other parts of the world. Just then, a crackling noise came over the radio, followed by a welcome voice.  
  
"Chief Redfield, this is Captain Kennedy of Alpha Team, please respond." Chris hurried to the communications desk, followed immediately by Leon and Claire. Rebecca and Billy arrived at that moment as well, escorted into the office by Jill and Sheriff Townsend.  
  
"Go ahead Rick, what's your status?"  
  
"Uncle Chris, we have encountered several creatures near a plane crash, several miles north of the campground entrance. We were checking out the lake area when we recieved a call from Bravo team. When we arrived roughly 15 minutes later, the entire team was missing. Ken and I are investigating 5 miles north of the crash site, while the other Alphas investigate the crash."  
  
"Rick," it was Leon, "you mentioned creatures, what kind?"  
  
"Dad, it was unbelievable. First, at the lake, Liz was attacked by a zombie. She's fine, thanks to Ken. She took a sample of some slimy residue, and is analyzing it as we speak. Then, when we arrived at the crash site, there were several decayed bodies and a truckload of bullet casings spread all over the place. Bravo's chopper looked abandoned and beat up. We were then attacked by wild dingoes. They took several shots to kill, and one almost got Joe, but Tiffanie saved him. Dad, it's just like the case in Raccoon City. These things are similar to the monsters you all described to us, but from what we can tell by our experience and what you told us, these things are much stronger."  
  
"Rick?" Jill asked, worriedly, her maternal instincts having kicked in hours ago, "Have you heard from Dan and Bravo Team?"  
  
"No, Aunt Jill, we are looking for them now. Ken and I are awaiting a call from Joe, hoping they've found a clue somewhere."  
  
Jill, sounding more like a worried mother than a superior officer responded, "Rick, make sure you contact us as soon as you hear from Dan, until then, continue your search." As she signed out, Jill prayed to herself, "Dear God, let them be alright."  
  
Chris, sensing his wife's worried demeanor, gently laid his hand on her shoulder, and she spun around, and hugged him tightly.  
  
Alpha Team, Crash Site  
  
"Jesus," Liz exclaimed, as she checked out the readings from her M.A.K (Mobile Analysis Kit). "This is unbelievable."  
  
"What is?" asked Hunter.  
  
"This slime is infested with viral agents."  
  
"Well, keep it away from me!" exclaimed Tiffanie.  
  
Liz responded, "It's OK. It doesn't seem to be transferrable by simple contact. My guess would be that it had to be introduced into the bloodstream directly."  
  
"You mean, like injected?" asked Britney.  
  
"Exactly," Liz responded, "or by biting."  
  
"Which would explain why the lake zombie tried to take a bite out of you Liz." Joe suggested.  
  
"Yeah, thank God for Ken." Liz responded.  
  
"Speaking of whom," said Hunter, "You think Ken and Rick are okay?"  
  
Joe chimed in, "You mean, have they killed each other yet?"  
  
Rick and Ken  
  
"Well, whaddya think, Captain?" asked Ken, "Are they still alive?"  
  
"God, I hope so Ken. I..., Ken look out!"  
  
At that moment another zombie grabbed Ken and threw him to the ground.  
  
Ken was shocked by the creature's surprising strength, "What the hell?" he asked, as another one grabbed Rick and did the same.  
  
The two men reached for their guns as their attackers moved in for the kill. But before they got too close, their was a sound, like two quiet explosions, as each of the zombies suddenly burst into flames. Rick and Ken each rolled out of the way as the two reanimated corpses fell to the ground in a fiery blaze. When they looked up, they were relieved by the sight of their savior. Rick smiled as he saw the face of his young cousin Alyssa, standing there with her favorite grenade launcher, an M39 GL that had once been used by her mother, Jill. After all these years it still worked like new. Coming up behind her was her older brother Dan, and the rest of Bravo team. Alyssa looked at the two men, and smiled as she spoke.  
  
"Here you are, armed with the most powerful handgun ever created (referring to Rick's Desert Eagle), and you still got knocked on your ass." She chuckled lightly over her teasing remark, and continued, "What would you do without us cuz'?"  
  
"Well, it's nice to see you too!" Rick shot back with a smile. He jumped up and hugged his younger cousin. "It's nice to see you're still alive. We were beginning to think the worst."  
  
"Well, after the fight by the plane, this young lady ran off in a panic, and we went after her, to make sure she stayed alive." Dan said, and he pointed to Taylor, signifying that she was the one who ran off.  
  
"Nice to meet you, I'm Rick Kennedy, captain of the S.T.A.R.S Alpha Team. And you are?" Rick extended his hand to her as she introduced herself.  
  
"Taylor Alden. Sorry to make you worry."  
  
"Well, this reunion is very touching, but can we get back to the plane now?" Ken sounded colder than he'd meant to, but to his surprise, noone seemed to mind.  
  
"Right," said Rick, "We need to get back to the others, so we can compare notes."  
  
With that, they all headed back toward the plane.  
  
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A/N  
  
Well, finally a new chapter. As usual, my apologies for taking so long between chapters. I need to work on that. As always, thanks for reading, and please let me know how I'm doing.   
  
P.S.- I intend to keep the two teams separate, but I felt it was necessary to have a part where they meet up again, in order to resolve the "Missing Bravo Team" issue. 


	16. The Gorge

The Gorge  
  
About 2 hours had passed since the two teams reunited and rendèzvoused at the crash site, and night had fallen around Bentzen Lake Campgrounds like a thick, dark blanket, forcing the group to use their flashlights. The thick branches of all the trees seemed to interlock, forming a canopy over the area, allowing only a few glimpses of the full moon and starry sky above. After Liz explained what kind of virus they were likely to be dealing with, the two teams travelled together for a brief stretch. The trip had been relatively uneventful, but the sole survivor of the forced plane crash, Taylor Alden, had obviously grown attached to Bravo Team leader Dan Redfield, and vice versa.   
  
"It's so hard to believe that so many horrible things have happened in the last couple of days around this place."  
  
Dan gently placed a comforting arm around her, and she leaned her head into his shoulder, as her tears flowed silently down her pretty face.They all looked at Taylor with silent sympathy, and she knew she was among friends, which cheered her up, ever so slightly. They could see that she was still mourning the loss of her brother and his wife, which was understandable, as the now parted siblings were very close. Suddenly, the group came to a large clearing, and halted. They had come to a dead end, or so it seemed. As they surveyed the surrounding area, they noticed that there was a very high cliff-face to their left. To the right, the trail they'd been following continued. Directly in front of them however, there was a deep gorge, easily a hundred feet down. Then they heard a series of spine-tingling howls that seemed to come from the gorge-bottom. As they began to move to the right, they noticed what looked like an old rope ladder. It was lying in a pile at the edge of the cliff, and it appeared to be in good condition, as if it had been used recently.   
  
"Hey Ken," Rick called. Ken came up to him quickly, and responded, "What is it mate?"  
  
"Do tourists often explore the gorge?"  
  
"Yeah. Especially in the last month or so. They used this location on one of those outdoor survival shows, and people have been downright batty over it ever since."  
  
"Alright, then. This is where we split up again."  
  
Everyone looked at their captain in disbelief.   
  
"What're you talkin' about Rick?" asked Dan.  
  
"Alpha team will explore the gorge, and Bravo team should move on ahead. If there are any of those things down there, we need to take them out before they can start to spread the virus. Who knows, if we're lucky, maybe we can find some clues about whoever is behind this mess."  
  
Dan was prompted to question Rick's decision. "Well then, why don't we all go down there together?"  
  
"Believe me cuz', I'd like to, but you guys might be able to find something of importance further ahead. Trust me, if it's a dead end, we'll be back up here to rejoin you."  
  
"Well," said Mike, "In that case, why don't we stay up here and wait. You know, play back-up in case something happens down there?"  
  
"That sounds like a good plan Rick." Liz added.  
  
"You're right. Fine, we'll do as Mike suggested. Alpha team, let's go. Dan, stay near your radio. If we need you, you'll be the first to know."  
  
With that, Rick and the rest of Alpha team lowered, then descended the ladder. Joe was a bit hesitant, as heights were never his strong suit, but with the encouragement of his teammates, he was able to finish the downward climb. As they began to explore, they heard a deep guttural growl. They flashed their lights in the direction of the sound. Suddenly, the growl was replaced with a soft whimper, as a medium-sized, uninfected dog came up to them. They could tell by it's gentle nature that the dog had probably been left by it's owners. It was in good condition, so they realized almost immediately that the dog had certainly not been abandoned. The dog lurched suddenly, and as if to beckon them, it headed back to where it had come from. As they followed, Tiffanie stepped in something soft, and rather squishy. When she looked down, she saw a deep red pool of blood, which was pouring from a very dead young man, who's headless corpse she had just invaded with her foot.  
  
"Oh my God."   
  
The rest of the team looked at the discovery. They noticed a leash near the body, and concluded that this poor guy had been the dog's owner. Liz walked up to the whimpering dog and began to pet it gently.  
  
"You poor thing. What could have done this to your master?"  
  
Her answer suddenly arrived. The dog jumped up and began barking fiercely at the darkness. Suddenly the dog rushed forward, barking and baring it's teeth. As the rest of the team followed, they heard a skull-splitting, squeal-like roar, followed by a loud yelp. As they approched the fray, the dog's lifeless, mutilated body came flying at them. It landed in front of Liz, and it's blood splattered on her boots, and part of her uniform pants. In their lights, the team could make out about four humanoid forms, crawling toward them. The creatures were reddish brown, and resembled skinless humans. Their long arms looked human enough, as did their legs, but instead of hands, they were equipped with long, deadly-looking claws. Their heads were uncovered, showing their exposed brains. The group stared in awe as the creature in front flicked it's pointed, five or six foot long tongue in a show of intimidation.  
  
Rick remembered seeing a picture of these creatures in an Umbrella file back at S.T.A.R.S International HQ, and uttered one fear-inducing word: "Lickers."  
  
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A/N  
  
Finally, an update! Sorry for the lack of updates y'all. I've been suffering from a very bad case of writer's block. I have some pretty big plans for future updates, including a couple sad deaths, more action, and hopefully, great suspense. I don't know exactly how I'm going to put it all in story form, but my ideas are written down. Please, read and review. Let me know if I'm doing well or not. No flames please, but constructive criticism and reader ideas are always welcome. Let me know who you think should survive, and who you think should become BOW feed. I won't necessarily kill the suggested characters off, but your suggestions and ideas will help me as I continue the story. Again, apologies for my recent neglect. 


	17. New Clues Lead to More Mysteries

New Clues Lead to More Mysteries  
  
Alpha Team  
  
Tiffanie's young face became pale at the sight of the 'lickers' that the members of Alpha Team were now confronted with. Out of all the creatures she had heard about from the stories of Raccoon City, these had scared her the most. While many other creatures were deadlier, the 'lickers' had seemed the most grotesque to her. Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the sound of gunfire as Rick and the others began shooting at the nightmarish grotesques they found themselves up against.  
  
"Tiffanie, stop daydreaming and open fire!" Shouted Rick, obviously in what the team had come to call his 'captain' mode. Rick was usually a laid back person, but in moments such as these, he became deadly serious, and that's why they called it his 'captain' mode.  
  
Tiff quickly snapped out of her fear induced daze and began to fire. They fired round after round, but these monsters were not going down without a fight. So far, they had been lucky, and nobody had been skewered by the lashing tongues of the four 'lickers' they were fighting. After about ten minutes, the battle ended, and the four creatures were finally dead. The battle was over, but the real tongue-lashing was about to begin.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU TIFFANIE!!"  
  
Everyone just stared as Rick began tearing into the young S.T.A.R.S member. Britney was probably the most stunned, as she had never seen this side of the team captain. Tiff just stood there, almost speechless.  
  
"Rick, I...I...I'm sorry, I just freaked."  
  
"You're sorry? Tiffanie, this isn't like you. You are one of the best shots on this team, and you just froze." Rick's voice had softened, and although he was no longer yelling, it was still pretty obvious that he was pissed off.  
  
"I guess I was just scared."  
  
Tiff was on the verge of tears, but Rick wouldn't relent, "You think you were the only one who was scared? We were all scared. Those zombies and dogs we met up with earlier were wusses compared to these things. Everyone was scared, but we didn't freeze up. We can't afford to have anyone freeze in these situations..."  
  
"Rick," Liz interrupted, "Chill out. Everyone's still alive. She came through, so c'mon captain, let it go."  
  
Rick looked at his sister, and relented. "You're right."  
  
After a couple seconds, he turned to Tiff, who had a few tears streaming down her face. When Rick saw this, he remembered that, although she was a valued member of S.T.A.R.S, she was still just a teenager, and he thought maybe he might have been too hard on her, after all, as Liz pointed out, they came out of the ordeal relatively unscathed, and Tiff's brief bout with fear had subsided, and she helped alot in the defeat of the 'lickers'.  
  
"Tiff," he said gently, "I'm sorry. I guess the pressure got to me. I know that's not an excuse, but it's the truth. This is probably the closest any of us had come to death on this field trip to Hell, and I guess I didn't handle it very well."  
  
Tiff didn't say anything, she just looked at him and smiled a little, acknowledging her acceptance of his apology. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last.  
  
"Well," said Ken, standing a few feet away from the group, "I hate to disrupt this little Kodak moment, but we really should get..."  
  
Ken didn't have a chance to finish as he suddenly let out a grunt, as though someone had just punched him in the stomach. The team looked, and they saw his body become stiff, and he looked down, as did everyone else, and protruding from his gut, was the thick, pointy tongue of another licker. Blood spewed from Ken's mouth as the creature withdrew it's tongue, and he fell. At that moment, the Alpha Team saw the culprit. It was indeed a 'licker', but it was larger than the others by at least two feet. It was more muscular, but as they looked, they could see that it was actually a more mutated version of one of the things they had just killed. As they looked on in awe, the old bullet wounds seemed to disappear.  
  
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Joe, who began to fire his M-75 assault rifle. The impact drove the creature back but it kept coming. Rick fired his magnum at the exposed brain, but the creature didn't fall. Instead, it briefly stood up on its hind legs, revealing it's full seven foot height, and swung a well-muscled arm knocking a shocked Rick and Joe back about five feet, and into each other. As they regained their footing, the two men checked for open wounds, but were relieved to see that they didn't have any cuts. They noticed the creature had returned to all fours, and it was poised to strike. Rick fired again, but just like before, the monster still survived. Rick couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
"How the hell is that thing still moving? It just took two shots from a magnum to it's head!"  
  
"It must have mutated somehow, and it must've gained some sort of protection!" responded Joe.  
  
Just then, Tiffanie clicked empty, and as she anxiously tried to reload, the over-sized 'licker' prepared to lash at her with it's piercing tongue. Rick, realizing this, acted quickly. While the monster was distracted, he took careful aim at a different target, the creature's left eye. He fired, hoping to disable the creature, but to his welcome relief, the creature howled in pain as the bullet went through it's eye and into it's brain, finally killing it.  
  
As the team recovered from it's latest ordeal, they were joined by Dan and Mike from Bravo Team.  
  
"Jesus, what the hell happened down here? We heard gunfire, and yelling, and more gunfire."  
  
"It's okay now Dan, we met a few new 'friends'."  
  
Mike noticed Ken's corpse. "Holy crap! What did this?"  
  
"Lickers," responded Rick. "We ran into a dog that had just lost it's owner. Apparently, victims of the monsters themselves. Next thing we knew, we were being attacked."  
  
To everyone's surprise, Rick left out the part about Tiff's freeze-up, as he explained the details of the past 20 minutes. The subject of the yelling Bravo Team had heard was apparently forgotten.   
  
"So, did you guys find anything else?" asked Mike.  
  
"No." Joe answered.  
  
"We did. While we were waiting for some info from you guys, we did a little exploring, and about 50 yards away from the rope ladder, there was a large lift, you know, the kind used for raising and lowering equipment to and from a gorge, like this one."   
  
Liz looked at her cousin Dan and asked, "Why would anyone need such a lift around here?"  
  
"Well, Ken said this place was used for a TV show, right?" asked Tiff, "So maybe that's why it was here."  
  
"It's possible," said Dan, "But what TV studio uses equipment from a place called Gen-Tech, short for Genetic Technologies?"  
  
"Gen-Tech? You think this mysterious company may have something to do with this problem?" asked Rick.  
  
"Perhaps, but I've never heard of it." Responded Dan.  
  
"Alright. Dan and Mike, go back up to your team, and head up the trail. We'll explore down here, and see if we can find something about this Gen-Tech."  
  
"No way, cuz'. We're not leaving you guys this time. You guys almost got killed down here, and you did lose Ken."  
  
"Look, Dan, I understand your concern, and it's appreciated. The thing is, Bravo Team needs it's leader, and if something happens to us Alphas, then you guys need to continue this investigation."  
  
"Understood. We'll contact the home base as soon as we return to the top, and let them know what we found. Maybe the sheriff can shed some light on this matter. In the meantime, take care of yourselves. If, at anytime, you feel the need for back-up, contact us, and we'll high-tail it back here to bail you guys out."  
  
"Deal." Rick responded, and the two shook hands, then Dan and Mike headed back.  
  
"Alright Alphas, let's move. We've got an investigation to run."  
  
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A/N  
  
Alright! Another chapter finished. Let me know what you guys think! 


	18. The Mine

The Mine  
  
Home Base, Hessenauer Falls Police Station  
  
"...Roger that, Rick. You all be careful out there. I'll see if we can come up with any possible details on this Gen-Tech. Be sure to contact us if you discover anything new. Chief Redfield, over and out."  
  
"So what was that all about, Chris?" asked Leon.  
  
"Well, it seems that there's another Biogenetics company involved. Apparently, Dan and Bravo Team found some sort of heavy equipment lift. The lift was apparently owned by some company called Gen-Tech, short for Genetic Technologies." Chris turned his attention to Sheriff Townsend, "What I need to know is, why didn't you tell us about this company Sheriff?"  
  
"I honestly didn't think there was any relation between the incidents at the lake, and this very small company. I mean, right now Gen-Tech is far too small to be the next Umbrella."  
  
"Let's hope so." Everybody turned to see two men walk in the room. "How's it going Chris?" The man asking the question was a fairly large African-American. He was at least six feet, five inches tall, and easily tipped the scales at two-hundred and forty-five pounds. He was well-built, and looked to be about fifty years of age. Chris didn't hesitate. He walked over to the much larger man and shook his hand.  
  
"James. Nice to see you. I'm glad you were able to make it. Sheriff Townsend, I would like you to meet the first chief of S.T.A.R.S International, now a head speaker in the United Nations, Mr. James Michaels."  
  
"Hello, Sheriff. I want you all to meet my personal assistant, Mr. Al Winchester."  
  
Al Winchester was smaller than James. He was a tall, slim, white man with brown hair, and was probably about forty-four years old.  
  
"Nice to meet you all."  
  
The others seemed to immediately take a liking to Winchester, but Chris seemed a bit wary. He didn't know what it was, but there was something oddly familiar about this guy, and for Chief Redfield, that was a bad thing. However, he didn't let on, as he graciously welcomed the newcomer into the fold.  
  
Alpha Team  
  
Meanwhile, Rick and the others were exploring the gorge a little more. They had walked at least three miles when they found the entrance to a cave. As they entered, they could see that it was no mere cave, but rather a spacious cavern. They continued deeper, and about a hundred yards in, they noticed that there were several steel and wooden beams set up as if to support the ceiling of the cave. The beams seemed to be very sturdy, as they were at least one to two feet thick. As Britney ran along the wall with the beam of her flashlight, she noticed a circuit-breaker switch. It was the type that you had to pump a few times before pushing it all the way up. She flipped the handle up, and a row of lights lit up. Exposed wires connected them as they stretched down the center of the cavern ceiling. At that point everyone realized they were in some sort of deposit mine. The cavern had obviously been enlarged by laborers. They could see several mining machines, long since abandoned by their users. However, as Rick studied the scene that was laid out before them, he noticed that all the equipment had another thing in common. They were all labeled: Gen-Tech.  
  
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A/N  
  
Hey all. I know this one is extremely short, but I wanted to end it cliffhanger style. I hope you all don't mind. I hope to get more put up soon. Until then, keep doing that R&R thing. 


	19. Earthquake

Hey, readers! I apologize for the lengthy absence, but life's been a little bit busy for me the last 2+ months. I hope you all haven't given up on me and lost interest. Anyway, for those who've been waiting, here is the next chapter of my story. 

Earthquake

Home Base, Hessenauer Falls Police Station

"So, Mister..., uh, Winchester, was it? What exactly is Al short for...?" Chris sounded suspicious. Jill glanced at her husband and silently shook her head. She knew Chris like the back of her hand, and she knew what he was getting at. Luckily, nobody else seemed to notice.

Chris continued, "...Albert, or Alfred maybe?" Suddenly, Rebecca and the others realized what Jill had already noticed, Chris was definitely suspicious of the newcomer.

"Uh, Allen, actually. Al is short for Allen, with two L's and an E. Why do you you ask?"

"No particular reason, you just look like an Albert." Chris answered hastily.

"And do you always judge people by looking at them, Mr. Redfield." It was Winchester's turn to sound suspicious, and Jill decided to step in before things got ugly.

"Fellas, we have more urgent matters to attend to if you don't mind."

"You're right, Jill. My apologies, for making you uncomfortable Allen. I have a hard time trusting people I've never met before. My history with the Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S has hardened me somewhat."

"It's okay, Mr. Redfield, I understand. I know all about your history with Umbrella and the HCF. I've done my research."

"Please, call me Chris. We don't believe in formalities, except for special occasions." Jill and the others breathed a deep sigh of relief, and soon they briefed James and Allen on all that had happened since the S.T.A.R.S arrival.

Bravo Team, Bentzen Lake Forest

"How much further do these woods stretch?" Alyssa was obviously starting to get tired. They had been on this mission for the better part of at least six hours, with little to no rest. She just wanted to get home and shower, and maybe even sleep for a couple days straight. Everyone else was beginning to feel the fatigue set in as well, especially Taylor, since she was not used to these lengthy treks. She did her share of hiking over the course of her nineteen years, but never to this extent, and never without her older brother by her side. She never particularly cared for outdoorsy type things, but she really didn't have much choice. Robert had been her keeper. After their parents died, he had to be mother, father, and older sibling all at once. They were both very young -he was twelve and she was six, to be exact- when their biological parents died in a car accident. After several foster homes didn't work out, they finally found a couple to stay with, and although they were never officially adopted, Taylor and Robert began to refer to them as their parents. He never left her side. For the first couple of years, they often went into each other's rooms and layed next to one another until they fell asleep. When he turned twenty-two, and she was sixteen, he graduated from college, and found work as an architect, but was required to relocate to Australia. When she was old enough, she moved to Australia to live with Robert and his, then, new wife Kelsey. As they decided to rest, Taylor began to cry, and the S.T.A.R.S Bravo Team tried to comfort her.

Dan held her close as she spoke between sobs. "I miss him so much. You know, it was always us. He would say to me, 'Little sis, one day I'm gonna travel the world, and you're coming with me!' But as we grew up, it was plain to see that it wasn't to be. He got a job as an architect, and moved down here, because it was a requirement. I wanted to tell him not to leave me, but I couldn't take away his dream. He'd taken care of me since we were kids, and I couldn't be selfish. He picked me up from school, helped me with my homework, and was always there if I needed help with something."

"Your brother sounds like he was a wonderful man," said Mike, who, like the others, had been listening to her story. One by one, Chrissy, Tabby, Alyssa, and Steph, all gathered around the grief-stricken girl, hoping that in some small way, they could help her through her pain. The moment was interrupted however, by the sudden shifting of the earth beneath them, and the unwelcome sight of trees falling all around them. The same thought went through everyone's minds simultaneously: EARTHQUAKE!

Alpha Team, The Mine

"How deep do you think this mine goes Rick?" asked Britney.

"I'm not sure Brit, but I don't like the idea of seeing all this Gen-Tech equipment. What the hell were they digging down here for? What would a mine have to do with genetics, or even technology for that matter?"

"Rick, um... don't look now, but there is something heading this way."

Rick looked to see what Hunter was talking about, and suddenly, there were about twenty zombies plodding toward them from the passage up ahead. The sound of dragging feet and accompanying moans was quickly drowned out by the sound of bullets, as Alpha Team opened fire on the undead army. After several minutes, guns began to click empty, and more zombies had decided to join the party. Things were beginning to look hopeless, when all the sudden the ground began to shake, and the passage in front of the young S.T.A.R.S team opened up. Most of the zombies were swallowed by the earth, while others were buried under falling rocks.

"Fall back! Fall back!" shouted Rick, and the Alphas escaped the falling rocks, but as they made their way back toward the entrance, they saw their escape route disappear in a blanket of dust stirred up by falling rocks and steel beams which blocked their path. All at once, Alpha Team knew they weren't getting back out.

A/N

After such a lengthy absence, I had hoped to make this chapter a bit longer. However, after a tension-filled scene with the old S.T.A.R.S, and then an emotionally charged secene with the Bravo Team, I kind of wanted to get back to the action. Please review. Let me know how I'm doing. Constructive criticism, as always, is quite welcome. However, I really don't appreciate flames, as they are far too derrogatory, and insult those of us who try to write the best stories we can for the readers.


	20. Aftershocks

**Chapter 20: Aftershocks**  
  
_ Alpha Team, the mine_  
After the cave-in, Rick looked around to make sure everyone was still breathing and in one piece. They had escaped the initial fallout from the earthquake, but they weren't quite as lucky in the aftermath. Fortunately, no one had been seriously hurt. There were only a few cuts and bruises, and Liz was able to patch them up rather easily. After they were examined, they all looked around to see if there was any way out. After all, the entrance had been sealed off, and nobody wanted to remain trapped in the mine. Britney tried to reach the Bravo Team, but the thick cave walls surrounding them interfered too much with the frequency, and she was unable to get through. They prayed that all their friends and family were okay. After all, they must have been caught in the earthquake as well.  
  
_Bravo Team, the forest_  
Dan picked himself up, and he soon noticed that Alyssa was trying to push something away. Upon closer inspection, he could see that her foot was trapped under a heavy branch that had fallen during the quake. Mike went over to him, and together they tried to lift it off of her. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they were able to lift it just enough for her to slide her foot out. Chrissy immediately ran over to her younger sister, and examined her ankle. Nothing was broken, but it was slightly swollen, and Alyssa had a hard time standing on it. Chrissy made a splint, and gave her a sturdy branch to use as a crutch.  
  
"Well," she said, "you won't be running any marathons, but you should be able to put more weight on it in a few hours, full weight in a couple days."  
  
Tabby looked at her friend with concern, and responded, "If we live that long, that is."  
  
"Hey," said Stephanie, "Don't talk like that. We're gonna get out of here!"  
  
"Yeah," said Taylor, "but first we have to make it over that..."  
  
Everyone looked, and noticed several trees had fallen on top of one another, creating something of an obstacle in their way. Jake looked and nodded, "Well, looks like we have some climbing to do. Alyssa, will you be able to make it?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so, as long as I get some help." she responded.   
  
"Easy enough, hop on." Dan said, as he easily hoisted his kid sister on his back, and began to climb the small wall of fallen trees.   
  
Taylor was amazed at how strong he was, yet so gentle with his younger sibling, and he reminded her of Robert, who had always been the same way with her. As she watched, she muttered silently to herself, "Tank indeed. But gentle as a lamb." And she began to feel a lot more comfortable in her present company.  
  
_ The original STARS, police station_  
As the dust settled in the police station, Chris noticed that James was unconscious on the floor. He inched his way through the debris to see what happened, and as he got closer, he noticed a combat knife sticking out of the UN Rep's chest. He'd been stabbed through the heart during the quake, and the large man now lay there, "Murdered!" Chris thought to himself. At that point, he heard the cocking of a gun, and when he looked up, Winchester had a 9mm placed at the temple of Rebecca's head, with his free arm stretched across her neck in some sort of chokehold.   
  
"Well, Mr. Redfield, it looks like you were right in your suspicions after all."  
  
Just then, Jill's voice rang out, "Drop it Winchester!"  
  
Al looked at her and smirked. And with surprising strength, he flung Rebecca in Jill's direction, sending them careening into one another, knocking Rebecca out instanly, and Jill felt her own head bounce off the wall behind her, causing her to drop her gun. The next instant happened in slow motion, it seemed, as Chris charged, and a shot rang out. The last thing she saw before blacking out was her husband, the chief of STARS, falling back, clutching what looked like his chest, and blood flowing from the fresh wound.  
  
_Alpha Team, the mine_  
"Shit!" Joe exclaimed, "What the hell are we going to do now?!"  
  
"Well," Rick replied, "We look for the way out."  
  
The vast chamber seemed to be completely sealed off, with no way to escape. Suddenly Britney and Liz found a sign of hope. It seemed that the earthquake opened up a small gap in one of the cave walls. Britney was the first to mention it.  
  
"Rick, look. There's a hole here. It's not very big, but we might be able to squeeze through. And I feel a slight draft, so an opening must be near by."  
  
Hunter came over, and his hope faded, as he remarked, "There's no way us larger guys will fit through that."  
  
"Maybe not," said Joe, "but the girls can. Maybe they can scout the other side. There might be something to help us increase the gap without bringing the rest of the place down."  
  
Rick looked at Joe and nodded in agreement. "Liz, Britney, and Tiffanie should be able to fit through. I want you girls to go through, and take a look. Let us know what you find, and be careful, there may be more of those hellspawn around. Meanwhile, Joe, as the resident explosives expert, I want you to see if you can come up with a way to blast that hole open so we can all go through. But remember, this cave is still unstable, and we don't want to use even a small explosion unless we have no other alternative."  
  
A few moments later, the girls had gone through, and after igniting a couple of emergency flares, they could make out the ledge they were standing on. About twenty yards to the right, they could see a ladder going down into the deep, dark chasm, and it looked like the only way to go.  
  
"Well, ladies," Liz began, "Let's see what we can see."  
  
Brit and Tiff both shrugged their shoulders, and the girls headed to the ladder. After descending at least fifty feet, they found themselves in another large chamber, but it was adorned by torches, that were still lit. As they searched, they found the entrance to yet another cavern, along the left side of the cliff-face. They entered cautiously, and as they made their way through a short tunnel, they began to hear more hungry moans. They drew their weapons in preparation for a fight, but the other chamber was empty. The moans now seemed to be below them, and they saw another hole in the ground. They looked down into it. With the little bit of light provided by the torches, they could make out, what looked like, about ten or fifteen more hungry undead corpses. They saw a ladder, and were relieved that the zombies seemed to be incapable of climbing it. At that moment, they heard an explosion, and felt the ground shake again. Suddenly the earth opened up, and they found themselves falling about ten more feet into the pit.  
  
**A/N  
**Wow! I can't believe I haven't updated since February. I hope you all like the newest chapter. Please, let me know what you think. The lack of reviews makes us writers feel bad. :( 


	21. Revelations

**Chapter 21: Revelations**  
  
_Gen-Tech Labs_  
  
Perry looked around the premises. Luckily, the earthquake had done a minimal amount of damage, but it was still enough to cause some problems. As he entered the main lab, he saw a disturbing sight. The specimen tanks had been ruptured, and the specimens were nowhere to be found.   
  
"Damn!" He said to himself, "I need to let Lillian know."  
  
He high-tailed it back to the communications room, but the radio had been severely damaged. He had no way of contacting her, and even worse, if there was an emergency, he wouldn't be able to contact anyone on the outside. Unfortunately, for all his scientific knowledge, Perry had very little skill when it came to technical repairs. Lillian was the expert in that field. She also had a good head for business, and was a natural leader, which was why she ran things down there.  
  
_Hessenauer Falls police station_  
  
"You...miserable...sonuva...!" Chris struggled with his words, as he tried to keep from passing out. His wound wasn't necessarily fatal, but it could be without proper medical attention. Winchester looked at the wounded man, and smirked.  
  
"Now, Redfield..." he taunted, "Is that anyway to talk to a man who has your life in his hands? One squeeze of the trigger, and it could be all over."  
  
"Then kill me and be done with it," snapped Chris, "That way I won't have to put up with your crap!"  
  
"Now where would the fun be in that?" He retorted, feeling a bit smug. "No, I'd like to watch you squirm a little longer. It's the least you deserve, you and all your friends!"  
  
Chris looked around and realized he was the only one conscious. All the others had been hit by falling debris, and were knocked out. He glanced up and could see a faint hint of the night sky. Suddenly his thoughts turned to his grown children, who were most likely dealing with the eartquake and it's aftermath as well. Then, the sound of someone stirring brought him out of his daze, and knowing this could be crucial to everyone's survival, he began to distract Winchester, who hadn't noticed the stirring.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" He asked.  
  
"Don't you know, Chris? Gen-Tech is my creation. It serves a dual purpose. One, to sell our BOWs to the highest bidders, and to become the foremost manufacturers of BOWs ever, surpassing even Umbrella, and the HCF. The other is revenge. Revenge on you and STARS for the worldwide shutdown of Umbrella and the HCF."  
  
"What does that have to do with you? You weren't even employed by either company. If I had to guess, I'd say you were still in school at that time."  
  
"I was in fact, a 16 year-old student with a genius-level IQ. I graduated high school early, and had started my first year of college, majoring in genetics, biology, and business management. Several years after the "Shutdown of '99," I visited some friends in prison. One was a geneticist from the HCF, and the other was a computer programmer for Umbrella. We all had a couple things in common, the desire for revenge against STARS, and the desire to create BOWs."  
  
"That still doesn't explain what all this has to do with you personally."  
  
"My dear Mr. Redfield, haven't you figured it out by now? My father had ties with both companies, and you, along with your friends murdered him on Ashford Island!"  
  
_The Mine_  
  
Liz, Tiffanie, and Britney landed hard on the cavern floor, but were unhurt. They could see the zombies ahead of them, and they went for their guns but they had dropped them in the fall. They scrambled around in the dark, trying to find them. Unfortunately, they drew the attention of their hosts, who had begun to converge on them. They started to throw heavy rocks at them to try and discourage them, but that only slowed them down a little. Just as one of them was about to reach Tiff, a shot rang out, and it's head exploded in a mass of blood and puss. The cavalry had arrived. A few others were taken out, but there were still a few left. At this point, Liz felt her gun on the cave floor. She picked it up and fired just as one was about to take a bite out of Britney. It fell back, and didn't get back up. After the remaining creatures were finished off, the guys made their way down the rope ladder, and went over to the girls, who were dusting themselves off, and armed again.   
  
"You all okay?" Asked Rick.  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Answered Tiffanie, "What happened up there anyway? I thought you were going to give us more time before blowing things up!"  
  
"Yeah, well, Hunter was getting impatient, so we set it off early." Joe said.  
  
"So," asked Hunter, "Any idea where this leads?"  
  
"No. But we should check it out. It might be the only escape." Rick replied.  
  
"Either that, or a dead end. " Added Liz.  
  
"Did you have to say 'dead' ?" Britney responded.  
  
They resumed their search, and after turning down several paths, they heard the sound of rushing water.  
  
"You hear that? Sounds like a stream somewhere ahead. That means, it probably flows through these caves and out!'  
  
Everyone seemed excited about Joe's announcement, except for Britney, who suddenly wished she were facing more monsters.  
  
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**A/N  
**  
I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. I'll get back to Bravo team next time. If you liked it, please review and let me know. If you didn't like it, review and give some ideas that you think would make it better. Flames will get you nowhere, so all criticism must be of the constructive kind. If anyone hates the story that much, then just don't read it. For all others, your views and reviews are much appreciated. 


	22. Death in the Family

**Chapter 22: Death in the Family**  
  
_Bravo Team  
_  
Dan and the others made it over the mound of fallen trees with little trouble, in spite of Alyssa's injury. They had travelled a fair distance since the earthquake, and there had been no incidents involving the undead or other creatures. However, just a few miles ahead of their current position, something unexpected had happened. A couple of Gen-Tech's "pets" had escaped the hidden lab, and were now on a collision course with the S.T.A.R.S Bravo Team. As the team continued to move north, they began to hear shrill, discomforting, screeches. They quickly armed themselves, and placed the untrained Taylor between them, to hopefully protect her from rear and frontal attacks.   
  
"What in the hell was that?!" asked an obviously frightened Taylor.  
  
"Something tells me I don't really want to find out!" replied Chrissy.  
  
"Well, sis', something tells me we're about to find out anyway." Dan said, matter-of-factly.  
  
At that moment, the noisemakers leaped into view. _"Dammit! I hate being right!"_ Dan thought to himself, as he and the others prepared to fight a new enemy.  
  
_Alpha Team  
_  
As Rick led the team through the winding tunnel toward the sound of rushing water, he could only imagine what lay ahead of them, and whether the water would lead to a way out, or to another dead end. The group was unusually silent as they continued to try and make sense of all this. Why did Gen-Tech need these mines? What kind of experiment gone awry could've created these mind-numbing creatures? Joe kept trying to pinch himself, hoping that he would wake up, and that this was just one long bad nightmare. Liz's thoughts turned to her older brother, who was usually sure of himself in any situation, not in an arrogant way, but he usually had a quiet confidence that she had always admired, and looked up to him for, but now, for the first time she'd ever seen, he didn't seem as confident. Rick obviously had some doubts, or obvious to her anyway, as she knew him better than anyone, even their parents. Meanwhile, Hunter and Britney walked side by side, and Britney seemed extremely nervous. Liz was trying to figure out why, but then she quickly dismissed it as the combined trauma of Ken's death and the earthquake taking effect. But she would be wrong. Britney became more and more nervous as the group got closer to the sound. She was on the verge of a major panic attack, and Hunter was trying to keep her calm. Tiffanie soon joined her sister and their cousin, and the trio began to whisper among themselves.  
  
"I don't like this. Not one bit," said Britney, trying to keep anyone else from hearing.  
  
"Hey, take it easy cuz'," said Hunter, "You'll be fine."  
  
"Yeah, you know we'll take care of ya', no matter what." It seemed surreal to Tiffanie that she would be taking the role of big sister, when Brit was actually the older sibling. But she knew how deep Brit's fear of drowning went. The poor girl couldn't get in water past her knees without trembling. And now there was a possibility of having to face that fear. And Brit went absolutely stiff and pale, when they came to a clearing that featured a swift-flowing river, and spanning the width of it, was a crumbling land bridge, and Brit just knew they had to get across it.  
  
_Bravo Team  
_  
The creatures they now faced seem relatively short in stature, but they were a scary sight nonetheless. They had brownish-green skin that had the appearance of a well-worn, weather-beaten leather jacket, and it was probably just as thick. They had small heads that seemed flat at the top, but they had reptilian eyes that could be seen just below a thick, bony crown, that looked almost like a helmet. They stood on short but powerful hind legs, and their arms looked like those of a pro wrestler. They seemed to be hunched over, and they had somewhat overdeveloped shoulderblades. Bits of their spines could be seen protruding through their skin, and their fully-exposed tailbones reminded one of a short stubby tail. They had small mouths, but their teeth were many, and were razor-sharp. They also had thick whip-like tongues that were similar to the "lickers" Alpha Team had met earlier. But their most prominent features were the 6-inch long single spikes that protruded from the backs of their clawed hands, and came down past their claws and ended in points.  
  
Dan and the others opened fire, but the unusually agile creatures seemed to dodge every bullet. Upon closer inspection, though, one would see that they did have impact marks in the skin where bullets had hit, but did not fully enter. Jake took a shot at one of their heads, but although it had knocked the creature down, it did not penetrate the bony "armor". He couldn't believe it, but he fired once more, and the creature once again fell, but it wasn't dead. Jake was dumbfounded, his shock betrayed him, and the creature took a final leap, and jammed its "spike" into Jake's chest. As Tabby looked on in horror, her older brother stuck the barrel of his gun into the creature's mouth and fired, finally killing it. But Jake was done for, and he fell, the creature still attached to him.  
  
"NOOO!! Jakob!" Tabby cried out, and the others who had been in battle with the other "Hunter: Prime" quickly looked and saw Jake's dead body lying in a pool of blood. In their shock, they hadn't seen the other one recover, and as quick as lightning, it's tongue was wrapped around Tabby's neck, and as it pulled her struggling form toward itself, it slashed with both of it's claws, separating her head from the rest of her body. Without wasting a moment, the creature leaped at Dan, who quickly took his combat knife, and pinned one of the creature's arms against it's own body. As it struggled to free it's arm, Tank took a grenade and jammed it in the creature's mouth. Living up to his nickname, he used his considerable strength and threw the 200-pound genetic atrocity off of him, and as he and the others ran away, the grenade went off, ending the monster's life. For several minutes, the remaining Bravos lay there shocked at what had just happened. They all felt as though they had lost members of their family. Though they were understandably grief-stricken over losing Jake and Tabby, they couldn't help but wonder which of them would be next.  
  
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**A/N  
**  
Well, I hope you all like it. If you like it, let me know, if not, still let me know. Let me know what I'm doing wrong, so I can improve. Anyway, if there are any lingering questions about the Hunter: Primes, I'll tell you that they are a genetic mix of the Hunter Alphas, and the A class Lickers. The "spikes" and "bony armor" are side effects of Perry's tampering. Please R&R. 


	23. The Warehouse

**Chapter 23: The Warehouse**  
  
_Hessenauer Falls Police Station_  
  
Chris was still feeling weak, but most of the bleeding had stopped. He could tell that the bullet had gone straight through his shoulder, but he also knew that Winchester could've killed him if he'd wanted. Chris figured that he wanted to make the S.T.A.R.S suffer. Chris was on the verge of passing out from the pain in his left shoulder, but through his blurred vision he could see the sheriff coming to. Winchester seemed to be too busy gloating to notice, and for that, Chris was relieved.  
  
"You have no idea, Redfield, how long I have been waiting for this day. In fact, I don't see why I don't just kill you right now." Winchester said, as he lifted his gun, and pointed it at Chris.  
  
"Al..." Chris gasped, trying to stay conscious, "...Listen to me...your father was...a madman!"  
  
"No, Chris, my father was a certified genius!"  
  
Even in his weakened state, Chris couldn't resist the urge to take a jab at his former boss, "I don't know...about being a certified genius,... but Wesker certainly was certifiable!"  
  
Angered by that statement, Winchester fired off a shot that just missed Chris's head. At that same moment, Sheriff Townsend tackled Al to the ground, knocking his gun clear out of reach. The two men fought for a moment or two when suddenly a gunshot went off. The struggle ended, and as Chris passed out, he saw the sheriff fall to the side, as Townsend had been shot in the back of the head by a woman that now stood in the doorway of the office.  
  
"You really need to be more alert, Al dear."  
  
"Nice to see you too, Lillian. Look, I found us some more subjects for our experiments. Contact Perry, and tell him to leave the labs, and meet us at the new facility. The S.T.A.R.S should make fine subjects for our new Tyrant program. As far as the new S.T.A.R.S are concerned, if they make it to the labs, which they will, we can set off the self-destruct system from the new facility. If they survive the experiments, they won't make it out of the labs on time to survive the explosion."  
  
A group of soldiers entered the office and carried out the unconscious forms of Chris, Leon, Billy, Rebecca, Claire, and Jill, and headed for the private chopper that awaited them at the airport.  
  
_Bravo Team_  
  
Dan and the remaining members of Bravo Team finished pulling themselves together and, in spite of the overwhelming sense of loss they all felt, continued their trek through the deep, dark woods of Bentzen Lake Forest. They were all running low on ammunition, and they began to wonder if they'd survive the rest of the mission. They had travelled at least twenty miles since they left the crash site, which seemed like so much more than the actual eight hours that had passed. In fact, it seemed like days. They were all physically and emotionally exhausted, but they knew they had to find out what the hell was going on, and put a stop to it before more innocent civilians suffered the same fate as Ken, Jake, Tabby, Dr. Daltry, the college students at the lake, and over one-hundred-twenty passengers on the crashed airliner. Finally, they came to the end of the woods. They found themselves in a large clearing, with very few trees surrounding the area. It was at least midnight, but the unhindered, soft glow of the full moon made it easy to make their way. They figured they had wandered into the expansive, and infamous, Australian Outback. They could hear the faint trickle of a stream nearby, and they made their way to it. After Chrissy tested the water for any zombie-inducing chemicals, they all filled their canteens and drank their fill. Cuts and bruises were treated, and soon everyone looked to see a faint outline in the distance. It looked like a large building, perhaps a warehouse, or a privately owned airplane hangar. They slowly made their way toward it, keeping their eyes peeled for any unwanted company. As they approached the structure, they could see that it was indeed a warehouse, and abandoned from the look of it. They split up and searched the perimeter, finding no traces of life, and fortunately no unwanted posthumous life either. The large entrance was locked, but one window had been left open, and they each made their way in, constantly alert. A quick search of the dark, musty interior relieved their fears of meeting anything unnatural, and Dan made a very welcome announcement.  
  
"Alright team, all's well for now. I suggest we all get some much needed rest. We will each take turns keeping watch, and in the morning we'll check this place out more thoroughly. I'll take the first watch, follwed by Chrissy, then Alyssa, Mike, Steph, Ja...,"  
  
Taylor picked up on the near-mention of Jake and Tabitha, as well as the well-hidden quiver in Dan's voice. That's when it occurred to her just how much they had all lost. After a long pause, Dan continued.  
  
"...Anyway, uh, make yourselves as comfortable as possible, but keep your equipment near you in case anything does go down."  
  
Suddenly, Dan remembered that his cousins Rick and Liz, and the rest of Alpha Team had been in the mines when the earthquake struck. And though he silently wept inside for Jake and Tabby, he also prayed that Alpha Team was still alive.  
  
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**A/N  
**  
Well there's chappy 23. I will get back to Alpha Team next time. And I'd like to thank the loyal readers, as well as the few reviewers that have taken the time to offer their opinions of my story. And to the sole reviewer of my last chapter (titled: Death in the Family), I purposely titled it "Death", instead of "A Death" as kind of a play on the cliche. Truthfully, it was only supposed to be Jake dying, but I changed it at the last moment. Well, please keep up with the R&R. I hope to have the next chapter ready within the next week, so keep checking back for it. 


	24. New Details Emerge

**Chapter 24: New Details Emerge  
**  
_Alpha Team_  
  
"Well," said Rick, "It doesn't look like there's a path downriver on this side."  
  
"What're you saying?" asked Britney, looking almost as terrified as she was feeling.  
  
"Well," replied Rick, "It's kinda obvious, Brit. We're gonna have to try to cross here."  
  
"That doesn't look too safe chief," said Hunter.  
  
"I know, but we really don't have much of a choice. There's no other way out of this underground cemetary." Rick stated, matter-of-factly.  
  
Rick knew it was a risk. But as far as he knew, everyone on the team was at least an okay swimmer, but he didn't want to have to go in the water if it wasn't necessary. God only knew what kind of monsters were lurking in the water. He knew the crumbling natural bridge in front of them was somewhat unstable, but they really had no alternative. They had to cross it.  
  
"Hunter, you're the largest one here, so you go first. If it holds your weight, it should hold the rest of us. Joe and Liz, follow our path back, and see if you can find some strong rope to tie around our waists, that way, if anything goes wrong, we can pull each other back to shore. We all know how to swim, so as long as we don't panic, we'll be okay if we hit the water. Just float, feet in front, and let the current carry us, until we find a good spot to climb out."  
  
Tiffanie went over to her sister who looked like she was about freak out.  
  
"Hey, sis'," she said to Britney, "We'll be okay. I'm sure we'll make it across. You won't even get wet, I promise."  
  
Tiff felt a bit strange making a promise that she wasn't sure she could keep, but Britney seemed to feel a little bit better, so that was what was important. The last thing Alpha Team needed right now was for Brit to have a full-blown panic attack, especially since Tiff and Hunter were the only ones who knew Britney was terrified of the water and couldn't swim a stroke.  
  
_Bravo Team_  
  
After everyone was asleep, Dan decided to do a little searching of his own. There was no immediate danger, so he headed up the steel stairs they'd noticed when the moonlight shone through the door, causing them to gleam briefly in the otherwise pitch black dark. As he reached the top, he noticed a door with a window. He checked it, and amazingly it was unlocked. As he entered, he felt around for a switch.  
  
"Voila!" He thought to himself as he found a switch near the door and turned on the light.  
  
He had obviously stumbled into the crane control room, and there were papers strewn about the place. It was as if someone had rummaged through them, but who? and more importantly, why? As he continued to search through the mess, he suddenly heard slow, plodding footsteps as they came up the stairs.  
  
"Shit!" He thought, feeling stupid for letting down his guard. He remembered leaving his assault rifle downstairs, and grabbed a fallen chair. God only knew what was creeping up those stairs, but whatever it was, it wouldn't be getting a free meal tonight. He quickly turned around, and as he began to swing, he heard a scream. He checked his swing, demonstrating his great control, and the chair stopped about a half-inch away from the side of Taylor's head. As she recovered, she looked at him, and allowed herself a half-smile before glibly saying to her would-be assailant, "Jumpy?"  
  
"Jeezus, Taylor! I thought you were one of those things!"  
  
"Sorry. I just couldn't sleep. I saw the light on, and I got curious. So, you find anything interesting?"  
  
"Not yet, but someone was poking around here. I just don't know when."  
  
"Hey Dan," Taylor exclaimed as she studied the crane controls, "Check this out. This equipment, look..."  
  
As he went over to the control panel, he noticed that the company that owned the equipment was Gen-Tech.  
  
"It's the same company that owns the lift back at the gorge. Look here Taylor, There's an invoice. The print's a little faded, but whatever it was, it was ordered by someone named Alan Winchester. It seems like it's some kind of lab equipment."  
  
"Dan, you don't think that Gen-Tech is performing similar experiments to Umbrella over twenty years ago? Do You?"  
  
"Taylor, you're younger than I am, how'd you know about that?"  
  
"Everyone knows about the infamous Umbrella Corporation, and there genetic testing. And about the world-famous S.T.A.R.S that brought them down. But after awhile, the stories seemed more like urban legends. At least they did to me, until all this stuff happened. My brother believed them his entire life. Oh my God..., Dan, he knew something. I'll bet he found out about Gen-Tech's real purpose, so they...killed him!"  
  
Dan looked at Taylor, and quietly said to her, "Let's not jump to conclusions here, I mean how would he have known?"  
  
"I lied to you about my brother. Robert was actually a corporate lawyer, not an architect. He actually infiltrated, then prosecuted unlawful companies. That park ranger, Ken Wood, he hired my brother to investigate all the sudden appearances of Gen-Tech equipment. One day he came to me and my sister-in-law Kelsey and told us we had to go back to the states. They must've known we were on that plane. That means...oh God!..."  
  
"Taylor, what is it?"  
  
"Dan, Mike was right, that plane was brought down deliberately. The oxygen masks came down, the plane crashed, and the passengers disappeared. I was in the bathroom, so I never put on the mask, and now, the passengers and crew are wandering out there as zombies. Gen-Tech was using the passengers as their newest guinea pigs, and now my brother, and his wife are among them."  
  
Dan was stunned, but he wasn't upset about her not saying anything earlier. He put his arms around her, and pulled her closer. Her brother's memory was upsetting her, and she began to cry. He held her for awhile, and they eventually fell asleep, right there in the control room. Before fading into sleep, Dan decided that the team needed to search the warehouse thoroughly in the morning. He also decided he would try to reach the Alpha Team, and let them know what he'd learned.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
**A/N  
**  
Finally, a new update! Sorry, as always, for the long delay. Please Read and Review!! 


	25. Deadly Flight

**Chapter 25: Deadly Flight**

_Alpha Team _

Ten or fifteen minutes passed before Joe and Liz returned, rope in hand. Rick secured the rope around his own waist, and Hunter did the same with his end. The idea was to prevent Hunter from being swept downstream if the weakening land bridge happened to crumble underneath him. Joe, Liz, and Tiffanie grabbed the rope as well, and Brit watched nervously as Hunter began crossing to the other side.

Using his feet to feel for weak points in the bridge, Hunter crossed with caution, and he signaled to the others whenever he felt a shift in the 'ground' beneath him, signifying a weak spot. Most of them were near the edges, while the middle seemed sturdy. Hunter successfully navigated the 'bridge', and let the others know it was safe.

After knowing Hunter was safely across, Rick told the others to get ready for their crossing.

"Britney and Tiffanie, the two of you should go at the same time. Since Hunter almost outweighs the two of you combined, the two of you should get across together without much trouble. Joe you head over next, and let us know when you're secure. Hold onto the rope on that end with Hunter, and be prepared to pull the girls in, if anything happens. Liz, you go after Brit and Tiff, and then I'll join you guys soon after that. Now, hurry up and move, I don't want to be stuck down here if we get an aftershock."

The crossing seemed to go well. Joe got across with little trouble, as did Brit and Tiff. There was a scary moment when Liz stepped on one of the weak points, but she reached the other side safely. Rick started crossing as the others waited. Then, just as things seemed fine, an aftershock hit.

"NO, Rick!!!" screamed Liz, as the 'bridge' crumbled, and the Alpha Team leader was plunged twenty feet down into the rushing waters. The others were frantically trying to pull him up, but the cave was beginning to fall all around them.

Rick reached into his boot sheath and pulled his combat knife. Liz and the others watched in horror, as they realized his intention.

"Joe, you lead the others out, now!! Go, before we all get killed!" With those words, Rick cut the rope, and let the current take him downstream.

A collective gasp was barely heard as Joe and the others escaped through the opening, and the cave fell in, blocking off the path they had just been on.

_Bravo Team _

Miles away, and completely unaware of the events in the cave, Dan and Taylor were awakened by the morning sun shining through the windows of the Gen-Tech warehouse. They had fallen asleep while sifting through some of the mostly useless paperwork they'd discovered in the crane control room. The rest of Bravo Team soon woke up as well. They were still sore, and grieving over the loss of Jake and Tabitha, but in some ways they still felt refreshed, and were ready to continue the investigation.

"This is unbelievable!" exclaimed Alyssa, after finding out about the equipment invoice found the evening before.

"So this Allen Winchester guy is the one who ordered all this equipment? Right? But what for? I mean, do you really think this Gen-Tech is responsible for those monstrosities we've been fighting?"

"We're not saying that at all," Dan answered, "but you have to admit, this is a little too coincidental."

"Well, maybe we should search this place a little more, now that we have some light."

"That's a good idea Mike." Dan responded. "You and Chrissy head upstairs, and see if you can find the office in this place. Alyssa? How's your ankle?"

"It's still hurting, but I can put some weight on it now."

"Good, then I want you and Stephanie to check out this area of the warehouse, and Taylor and I will be checking out the other end."

"Yeah, well make sure you check out the warehouse, and not each other."

"What?!" responded Dan, taken off-guard by Chrissy's remark.

"Just kidding Big Brother, " Chrissy said with a smile. Everyone chuckled a little, no doubt feeling relieved that they all still had a sense of humor, in spite of all that had happened.

_Somewhere over the Pacific _

"Where the hell are you taking us?!" asked Leon.

"You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Kennedy," responded Lillian, sitting next to Allen, who was feeling rather smug at the moment.

"Ah, good morning Chris. Did you sleep well?" asked Allen.

Chris was still feeling the pain from his bullet wound, but he noticed he'd been bandaged up, but he was still tied up, and he sneered at Al, who was looking awfully proud of himself. _"I'd love to wipe that smirk right off your treacherous face!" _Chris thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Rebecca was sitting with her hands unbound, and covered in dried blood. She must've been the one who bandaged him up. It started to occur to him that Winchester had planned to use them, probably for some sort of experiment. He also noticed that the side door of the transport chopper was open, as the warm Pacific breeze blew in from outside. As he looked on, he heard an exchange between Leon and Lillian.

"How do you know me?" asked Leon.

"Mr. Kennedy, I know all about you and your S.T.A.R.S friends here. I know all about the 'Shutdown of '99', and about how you put many of Umbrella's top execs behind bars, and how you, Redfield, and the rest of your ilk put the HCF out of business. You see, I was a young computer specialist for Umbrella at the time. And my partner, Perry Hall was a talented researcher for the HCF. We both sat behind bars for treason, and illegal development of B.O.Ws. All the while, I thought only about how I could explain what I'd been involved in to my family and friends. And how I was going to get out and rebuild Umbrella, and avenge the death of the company I'd been a part of. Perry thought about it as well. That's when we got an unexpected parole, and were introduced to the son of Albert Wesker, who wanted revenge for his father's death at the hands of you and your friends."

"Wesker got what he deserved!" screamed Jill. "He was a madman! He caused the downfall of the original S.T.A.R.S, not to mention he played a part in the deaths of millions of innocent people who had become unwitting experiments for Umbrella and the HCF! The two companies were heated rivals in B.O.W development, and Wesker played both sides for fools."

"Those people were necessary casualties of war, collateral damage, and nothing more."

"You BITCH!!" Jill couldn't take it anymore, and threw a kick that knocked Lillian out cold.

Winchester was beside himself. He drew his gun and prepared to shoot.

"It's over Winchester!" shouted Chris, who had struggled free of his bonds and was now poised to attack.

Allen was taken by surprise, but he fired another shot that hit Chris directly in the center of his chest. But Chris didn't go down, instead, his momentum allowed him to slam Allen into the steel wall of the chopper. In turn, Allen lost his bearings and stumbled out of the chopper, and into the Pacific far below. Chris collapsed to the floor, and Rebecca untied the other S.T.A.R.S and checked on Chris. Claire and Jill rushed to his side, as Leon tied Lillian up.

"So...what's the diagnosis doc? Am I... going to live?" asked Chris, trying to keep up his spirits, but he and the others knew that the diagnosis wasn't good. As he looked into the tear-filled eyes of his sister Claire and his wife Jill, he knew it would be the last glimpse of them he'd ever get. The bullet had penetrated his right lung, and without the proper equipment, not even Rebecca could save him. He mouthed the words "I love you" to both his wife and his sister, and took his final breath. Leon and Billy were both in shock over the death of their good friend as Jill, Claire, and Rebecca huddled together next to Chief Redfield's lifeless body.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**A/N**

Are you shocked yet? Yes friends, a heroic yet very sad sendoff for the beloved Chris Redfield. I still can't believe I went through with it. Although I'd thought about this scenario for a long time, until now I wasn't sure I'd go through with it. And what about Rick Kennedy? Will he survive his river ride? More surprises will come before this is over! Please review!


	26. Further Into The Unknown

**Chapter 26: Further Into The Unknown**

_Alpha Team/ Rick _

_Uhn...Where?...where the Hell am I?_

Rick woke up to the sound of rushing water. His head was pounding along with the rest of his body. He vaguely remembered falling, and feeling cold, and wet, and then he banged his head and..._Oh yeah! _It all came back to him. The aftershock, and his sister's voice screaming over the roar of the river. He recalled falling into the water, hitting his head on the rocky bottom, and barely making it to the surface. He had put his feet out in front of him instead of trying to swim against the strong current. He finally made it to shore, and passed out, but he didn't know how long ago that was.

He struggled to his feet, and almost immediately, a wave of nausea overcame him and he reached for his forehead. He felt the warm, sticky touch of blood, and realized that he must've cut his head on the rocks after his initial plunge into the raging torrent. Suddenly he was wondering if the others were okay. He carefully surveyed his dark surroundings, and realized with dismay that the river had come to a sudden stop at the walls of the cavern he was now in.

"Damn! I must still be somewhere in the caves."

He instinctively reached for his gun holster and found that he had lost his Desert Eagle.

"Shit! It must've fallen out in that God-forsaken river!"

He stumbled around in the dark, and reached into his upper-left vest pocket to find a small, but powerful flashlight. He switch it on, hoping that the water-proof lining of the S.T.A.R.S issue utility/ kevlar vest kept it protected. Unfortunately the water had managed to seep through, but as luck would have it, not enough to damage the flashlight.

"Thank goodness for small favors." He thought out loud, as he switched the small, but potent beam on.

As he scanned his surroundings, he caught a glimpse of something shining in the shallows of the river. He investigated, and realized that it was his gun. He hadn't lost it after all.

"It must be my lucky day!" He said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He quickly ejected the half-empty clip, to make sure it wasn't water-logged. He checked the chamber and the rest of the gun for the same reason. For the most part, it was dry, and still usable. That's when he realized that he had actually lost some of his extra ammo in the water. He was now down to about two full clips of 7, and one clip of 4 bullets. That meant he had 18 rounds left, so he knew he'd better make his shots count.

"Well, time to try and find the others, if they're still alive."

_Alpha Team/ Elsewhere _

Liz and Brit were walking together as Joe, Hunter, and Tiff scouted a short distance ahead. The two best friends had both been in shock over what had happened just a little over an hour ago. Liz knew that Rick was gonna cut himself loose before jeopardizing the rest of the team, but it didn't make things any easier.

Brit was beside herself, as she had begun to fall in love with the Alpha Team leader over the course of the last couple weeks leading up to the current situation. Her school-girl crush had developed into something much stronger, and nowthe chance to tell him how she felt was gone. She didn't want to believe that their leader was dead, but how could he have survived? Sure, he was an excellent swimmer, but the current, and all the rocks that had to be everywhere in the river would've surely killed him.

Liz thought about the zombies, and other creatures that might have taken her beloved older brother away from her. What if he had gotten out of the river, only to be ambushed by more flesh-eating freaks than he could handle alone?

Their thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire up ahead. They heard some unnaturally high-pitched screeches, and rushed to see what was going on. The guttural sounds were unnerving as they made their way ahead, and after sprinting about 25 yards, they could see what looked like some sort of giant, mutated bat. It's wingspan had to be at least 6 feet, and it's blood-red eyes glistened in the little bit of light in the caverns. Each bullet that hit only seemed to anger it more, and it swooped down several times. One of those times connected and the girls saw Hunter's big body fly into the wall behind him. He let out a loud scream as the bat came in for the kill. Then, in the flash of a shotgun blast, the creature's head splattered across the cavern walls. Hunter had carefully aimed his sawed-off at the charging creature and fired. Liz ran over to him to make sure the creature hadn't opened up any wounds. She could see a small cut on his cheek, and immediately checked it out with her Mobile Analysis Kit (MAK), which she had managed to save, in spite of the team losing alot of equipment in the initial earthquake.

"Well, it doesn't look like that thing was a carrier, or at least not an infecter. Lucky for you."

"Everyone, come quick!"

"What is it Tiff?" asked Joe as they approached her.

"There's another path along that river! Maybe we should follow it, and see if we can find Rick?!"

Brit and Liz were both excited and apprehensive. What if they eventually find him, and he's dead, or worse? Of course, nothing would make them happier than finding him alive.

"Sounds good," said Joe, who was the second-in-command. "Check your ammo, and let's go! I just hope we find him alive, and soon."

With that, they headed down the narrow path that ran down alongside the river, hoping they were on the right trail.

**A/N**

Well, that one was pretty short. Especially compared to chapter 25, but I hope my readers enjoy it anyway. Keep an eye out for the next chapter as well. Alpha loses one of their own! Maybe more! Who will it be? Find out next chapter.


	27. Jaws of Death

**A/N**

Hey all. Sorry it's been so long. This might be a long chapter, so be prepared to read! This chapter may have some slightly stronger language than previous installments.

**Chapter 27: Jaws of Death**

_The Mines_

Rick thought he'd heard the sound of gunshots. He couldn't be sure where they were coming from, as he was still a bit disoriented after his river-ride. Soon, the silence returned, and he figured that the Alpha team had run into some "friends". He started walking up a path that was on a slight incline. He turned to face the river one more time, still wondering if there was a passageway under the water somewhere that could lead Alpha Team out of this hell-hole. He was shocked to learn, however, that the water level was slowly beginning to rise. The spot where he'd been washed up was now underwater.

"Shit!" He thought out loud, "I need to find the others so we can get the hell outta here."

_Elsewhere..._

The chopper landed safely outside of Hessenauer Falls, and it's occupants poured out one at a time. All except for Lillian, who was still out cold from Jill's kick. The faces of the Raccoon City Survivors were solemn, and streaked with tears.

"C'mon," said Leon, breaking the sad silence, "We have to prepare him for the flight home."

Leon was, of course, speaking about S.T.A.R.S International Chief Chris Redfield, who had just been killed mid-flight. The only consolation was that Allen Winchester, the son of Albert Wesker, had also been killed. As Leon and the others were talking, Lillian Holt began to stir. As she awakened, she noticed that her hands had been bound by a thin, but strong rope. As she looked around she noticed blood near the chopper opening. As her vision cleared, she made out the body of Chris, lying on the floor, a bullet hole deep in his chest, near the heart. She seemed happy at first, but quickly realized Allen was missing.

"There must have been some sort of struggle while I was out. And if Redfield is in here dead, but no Allen, then that means..." She wouldn't allow herself to finish the thought. She had truly loved Wesker's son, but their plot to start Gen-Tech had gotten in the way of any real romance. As she uncharacteristically began to mourn her own loss, she heard Billy Coen's voice just outside...

"I think we should make her talk. Find out the location of Gen-Tech's main lab, so we can put a stop to this before it goes any further."

"I agree," responded Claire, who was still fighting her tears, her voice quivering a little, "But do you think we'll be able to?"

"I don't know, but we have to try. For Pete's sake, our kids are still wandering around out there, facing God knows what. I realize they're all capable S.T.A.R.S members, but they've only seen a taste of what we went through. And now, my husband is lying in there dead because Wesker's bastard son and his little bitch, Lillian wanted revenge for Umbrella and the HCF!"

Lillian, although saddened over the loss of Allen, was slightly amused at the ranting of Redfield's widow. But she didn't have time to waste, she needed to get away, and so she began to cut her bonds by usind the slightly sharp edges of the steel chopper seats.

"Jill, I know how you feel...," said Claire, who had embraced the older woman that had become more like a blood sister than a sister-in-law, "...but we need to think about what's happening, and how to stop it."

Jill nodded her head in agreement, and the moment was broken up by Rebecca, who'd gone to check on the hostage. They could do nothing but look surprised by Rebecca's two simple words: "She's gone!"

_Alpha Team_

After the battle with the giant bat-_thing_, Joe and the others continued their search for Rick. The path that followed the river had been a dead end, so they backtracked to their original path. After what seemed like forever, they came to a three-way fork. The path to their right sloped down on a rather steep incline. The one to their left went down as well, but it wasn't as steep. The path in front of them seemed to stay somewhat level.

"Well?" asked Hunter, "Which way?"

Joe pondered it for a few moments. As the second-in-command of Alpha Team, he was more comfortable following Rick's lead. But with Rick missing, he had to make the command decisions. Joe was always nervous about making the wrong choice, but the team was counting on him.

"Alright," Joe started, "We'll go straight. If it's a dead end, we'll head back, and take the one to our current left."

"Did you have to say _dead_?" Tiffanie asked, suddenly feeling unnerved.

After a nervous chuckle, the team moved on, hoping for the best.

_Rick_

Rick headed up the incline. He had to find Joe, Liz, Tiffanie, Hunter, and Britney. For all he knew, they were completely unaware that the mine caves were flooding. He figured the water must've been dammed up so Gen-Tech could work. The earthquake and subsequent aftershocks must have broken the dam, which was most likely temporary in the first place.

As he reached the top of the incline, he noticed a three-way fork. It was the same spot Alpha Team had been just moments ago. He headed toward his right, and continued down until he found the remains of the giant bat-like creature that had been killed by Joe and the others. All around the corpse were bullet casings, and the kill was still somewhat fresh. He knew instantly that this was where the gunshots he'd heard came from. He figured the path led straight back to the crumbled bridge, so he decided to backtrack. As he got back, he made up his mind to take the steeper path down, completely unaware of what he was about to be faced with.

As he reached the bottom of the slope, Rick noticed a large freshwater pool, probably about thirty-five yards across. But the thing that caught his attention was the small, but noticable area of light. It was dim, but it definitely meant that light was coming from the other side of the cavern wall in front of him. He was about to head back up to continue looking for the others, when a huge splash erupted from the small lake behind him.

As he turned, he could make out the massive, deformed body of what used to be a crocodile. It looked as though it had been experimented on at great length. It's forty-five foot body was riddled with spike-like scales, and the claws on the feet were grotesquely overgrown. If one looked closer, they would notice that it also had gills. But it's most formidable feature was seen as it honed in on Rick, and opened it's wide mouth to reveal several rows of three inch, razor sharp teeth. Rick couldn't believe it.

"Holy shit!" was all Rick said as he opened fire.

_Alpha Team_

Joe and the others came to the end of their path, literally. They found themselves on a large outcropping of rock, about fifty feet high, overlooking the same waterway that Rick had found. They also noticed the light on the other side.

"There's our way out!" said Joe.

Britney was beside herself. Her worst fear was staring her in the face, and she knew she couldn't get out of it. Her pretty face went white with fear, and Hunter and Tiffanie both noticed.

"This is gonna be rough." Hunter said, as he exchanged a worried look with his cousin Tiffanie, who just nodded in agreement.

The moment of awkward silence ended abrubtly at the sound of gunfire below.

Rick unloaded his desert eagle into the hide of the monstrosity that came from the pool, but the creature was still coming.

"Jeezus!" He thought to himself, "Seven shots, and it's still coming."

Suddenly, he clicked empty. He knew he only had eleven shots left, but he had to reload. There's no way he'd have time. He needed a distraction, and he needed it now.

"Over here, you ugly sonuvabitch!"

The creature turned it's massive body around to face Joe. It turned unbelievably fast, and as it did so, it's muscular tail made contact with Rick's chest.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion as Liz saw her brother knocked back into the cave wall. She rushed over to check on him as the rest of the team began to shoot the hideous beast they were confronted with.

Nothing seemed to slow the monster down. Then, Joe fired a round into the gills of the creature. The creature howled in pain as it turned and grabbed Joe in it's massive jaws. Joe was impaled on the lower teeth of the monster, but he was still alive, barely. He knew his time had come. The creature was about to clamp down to finish him, but the sound of Rick's magnum was heard loud and clear as a sigle round embedded itself in the left eye of the creature. The creature roared and retreated back into the water, taking Joe with him.

"NO!"

Everyone heard Britney scream, as she held Rick's gun in her trembling hands. Then, moments later, the water erupted in an explosive splash. Joe had used the little strength he had left to pull the pin off of a hand grenade. Then, the outcropping that Alpha Team had just been on ten minutes before crumbled on top of the remains of the creature that was now dead. But it had taken Joe with it. As the dust cleared all they saw of Joe was a tattered part of his S.T.A.R.S vest.

**A/N**

Finally, another chapter completed. I hope the few of you that are actually reading this enjoyed this part. I hope to recieve some new reviews soon. As always, thanks for your patience, as well for reading and reviewing.


	28. The Way Out

**Chapter 28: The Way Out**

_Bravo Team_

Taylor, Dan, and the rest of Bravo Team were still searching almost every corner of the warehouse. Alyssa and Stephanie suddenly called out.

"Hey guys! We found something!"

"What is it?" asked Mike, as they went over to the first floor office that the girls had found.

"It looks like some sort of report. Open the folder and find out."

Stephanie did what Dan asked.

**ATTN:**

**The construction is nearly complete. Mr. Winchester wants us to cease all work for the time being. Apparently, the TV show "Australian Challenge" is filming an episode around the mines. Gen-Tech will be providing equipment for the filming. The episode will be finished in about a week. Once the cast and crew are gone, construction on Gen-Tech Labs will resume. **

**Also, they have decided to add a secret entrance, as well as a hidden emergency exit. I don't understand why, I mean it's only a research lab. That makes me wonder why they're building it on the sly anyway. But it's not up to me to question them. After all, they're signing the paychecks.**

**J.T. Irvine,**

**Foreman **

** May 10, 2025**

"That sounds intriguing," Mike started, "But there's another one here."

**ATTN:**

**Well, after almost a year of work, construction is complete. I still can't believe we started this assignment last July. Apparently, they're supposed to start moving the equipment in, and start updating research within the next two weeks. What's the rush anyway? The boss lady, Lillian Holt, came with her partner, Perry Hall, a couple of days ago, to see what we'd done. I decided to ask what they were researching, but they wouldn't say. I don't understand the secrecy, but again, it's none of my business. Oh yeah, due to our extraordinary efforts, we're all recieving a bonus, as well as extra vacation time. That's gonna be great. I haven't spent much time with my family since we started. Unfortunately, they need us to wait until November to use it, just in case they need extra work done. But that's okay, cause my wife and I have always wanted to take the kids to New York for Christmas and New Year's, and I can't wait. Anyway, congratulations on a job well done!**

**J.T. Irvine,**

**Foreman**

** June 14, 2025**

"Well," said Dan, "It looks like they set the construction crew up."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Chrissy, I'd bet you any amount of money, that the construction crew and their families were on that plane we found yesterday. In any case, good work. Keep looking for more clues. Who knows, we might be able to connect all these freaks of nature to Gen-Tech after all."

_The Mines_

The Alpha Team were still in denial over the events of the last ten minutes, and Liz took on the hard task of telling Rick about Joe.

Rick and Joe had been good friends for many years, and the news of Joe's death was overwhelming. However, Rick knew they had to leave, and that there would be time to grieve later, when this nightmare was over. Right now, he and the remaining members needed to escape before they all died in this unnatural hell.

"Alright, we need to move. Joe sure as hell wouldn't want us to die down here. Unfortunately, it looks like the only way out is over there." Rick pointed toward the dim light emanating from under the water.

"I'm going to swim down and see if it actually leads out, and if there are any air pockets to stop and take a breath. Hopefully it won't be that far."

With that said, Rick dove in and swam to the other side, took three deep breaths and proceeded to dive under the water.

_The Lab_

Perry was unsettled. The holding tank on the lower level was ruptured, and most of the water had spilled out. The tank was home to his favorite creation, Poseidon. It was part nile crocodile, and part tiger shark, but it was more powerful, and much larger than both. Little did he know, that Alpha Team had just destroyed it, but at the cost of one of their own. He wondered if Winchester had arrived yet, and if he would hear from Lillian anytime soon. Unfortunately, most of the communications equipment had been severely damaged in the earthquake.

After a few moments of self-indulging wondering, Perry decided to head back up to the upper level of the two level lab. He stopped by the freezer and saw that the remaining sample of "Lazarus" , or "the Resurrection Virus" was still intact. Having done so, he headed back up to the main control room.

_Bravo Team_

The team continued to search for a long time, but the only thing they found up to this point were the two foreman files, and surprisingly some ammo. They were curious about why ammo would be stashed in a construction warehouse, but they didn't dwell on the matter. Instead, they were actually grateful, because they were all getting low.

"Hey Dan, I found something else!" shouted Taylor, who for the first time, had separated from the Bravo Team captain.

Dan and the others went over to her, and she showed them a small piece of paper, probably dropped by accident. On it was a series of numbers, seemingly in sequence, like a lottery ticket or a lock combination. The numbers were: 14, 22, 32, 18.

"Maybe they're coordinates?" suggested Chrissy.

When they looked in her direction, they noticed she was looking down at a pressure plate, and on it was the number 32, painted in white letters.

It looked big enough to hold one of the many crates, so they all headed up to the crane control room.

_Alpha Team_

It seemed like an eternity, but after about ten minutes, Rick resurfaced. The others looked relieved, and he swam over to tell them what he'd found. He told them that the light came through a shaft that was about seventy-five feet long, with several airpockets. At the end of the shaft was an opening to the outside, but there was also another tunnel, that seemed more man-made than natural, and on the ground of that tunnel he'd found the tracks made by that beast they had just encountered, and the tracks led into the water.

"That must've been where it came from then." suggested Hunter, over-stating the obvious.

"Well, we need to move. Before I came to this spot, I noticed the water-level rising. I don't know how long it'll take, but this place is going to end up underwater soon enough."

They all nodded in response to Rick's statement and prepared for the swim. Only then did Rick notice Britney, huddled in a corner, pale with fear.

"Hey, this isn't you. Where's the fun-loving, brave Britney we all love?"

"I'm sorry Rick, but I don't think I can do this. Couldn't we find another way? I mean, what if that thing isn't dead? Or what if we can't hold our breaths long enough?" Britney was definitely freaked about this.

"Brit, you're not making alot of sense. I mean, if that thing was still alive, I wouldn't be here right now. And I mentioned the airpockets, so it's not like we have to swim the distance on one breath."

"Rick, what if there are more of those things?"

"Brit, something that size would be very territorial. I don't think it would have any buddies hanging around, and no, there's no other way out."

"It's just that I...I'm afraid, because...I ca...I...,"

"She can't swim." Rick looked at Tiffanie, obviously taken aback. Of course she could swim, she was a trained S.T.A.R.S member. But then he thought about it. Swimming wasn't a requirement for communications, and she was an excellent shot. Still, he was puzzled.

Tiff continued to speak, and she told them that Brit had nearly drowned when she was ten, at summer camp, and that Brit had been terrified of drowning since then. Rick and Liz listened, and realized that only Tiff and Hunter knew about it.

"Alright, this is what we're gonna do. Hunter, you're a strong swimmer, so you and Liz go through first, and since Liz worked as lifeguard a couple years ago, she'll be able to come back and help if we run into problems. Tiff, you were also a lifeguard, so you take up the rear, to help out if Brit and I get separated. Brit, I know you're scared, but you need to get on my back. Wrap your arms around my chest, so you don't choke me out, and I'll have my arms and legs free enough to swim through with you. If you need to come up for air at any time, squeeze tighter, and I'll get us to the nearest air-pocket. We'll be out of here in no time, I promise."

As they entered the water, Liz thought to herself, "I've got a very bad feeling about this."

**A/N**

Well, another chapter finished! Thanks to all who have read and/ or reviewed my story. Please continue to do so, because reviews always serve as good inspiration to us fic-writers.


	29. Double Jeopardy

**Chapter 29: Double Jeopardy**

_Alpha Team_

Hunter and Liz made it through the underwater shaft fairly easily, coming up for air only twice each during the five minute swim. Rick and Brit had slightly more trouble, however, due to Britney's lack of water experience. By default, Tiffanie, who was acting as a safety diver of sorts had to trail behind in case of an emergency. There were four small airpockets in the shaft, and it was around the third where trouble began.

As Britney signaled the need for air, the cave suddenly started to shake again. It wasn't strong enough to be an aftershock from the earthquake, but it had probably been part of a chain reaction from the explosion that destroyed the shark/crocodile hybrid. That's when it happened. Having come up for air, Brit released her iron-clad grip on Rick, and held on to his shoulders as he trod water. Meanwhile, about twenty feet behind them, a terrible scene was taking place. The violent shaking had loosened some dirt and rocks from the ceiling, and they began to rain down on top of Tiffanie. She was in the second airpocket awaiting Rick's signal to continue, and managed to let out a scream as the ceiling began to collapse.

Rick and Brit heard this, and Rick knew he had to see what was happening.

"Brit, I know you're very afraid, and worried. But I need you to stay calm, and hold on to the rocks right there." He pointed to a part of the cave that was protruding from the rock-face of the cave, and continued, "I need to go check on your sister, but I can move faster without you on my back. Do you think you can manage?"

Britney looked at him nervously, but nodded, trying to hide her growing fear, "Yeah, go."

As Rick dove down to head back, Britney began a silent prayer, "God, please let her be okay."

_Bravo Team_

Dan looked down from the crane room at the maze of crates and steel containers that decorated the floor of the warehouse. He took another look at the numbers on the paper Taylor had found: _14, 22, 32, 18_. He then noticed a row of red lights on the control panel next to the crane control. Beneath each light was a number, and those numbers matched the ones on the paper. So he began to maneuver the crane, and as he did, he took notice of the numbers that were painted on the sides of the containers and cranes. He found the crate marked 32, and placed it on the pressure plate with the matching number, but the light on the panel stayed red.

"Shit!" he mumbled to himself, and as if she noticed, Alyssa made a suggestion, "Maybe the crate's not heavy enough."

"Hey, look...," said Mike, "...the steel containers are also numbered."

Dan proceeded to maneuver the various controls, and by the time he was finished, he had moved four steel containers and placed them on the respective pressure plates. Each light turned green, and the Bravo Team heard the sound of machinery inside the walls, as if something was being moved.

_The Lab_

Perry had been in the main control room when a silent alarm began to flash on the computer layout of the Lab blueprints. Apparently someone had just opened the secret passage from the warehouse to the labs. "Dammit!" he shouted. He knew he had to get out of there before he was found, but couldn't just let the S.T.A.R.S waltz in and take over the place. Then, he had an idea. An idea that he considered to be genius. He looked into the monitors, and found what he was looking for. He looked into a room near the secret lab entrance, and there he saw what appeared to be three empty cages. He pushed the button that released the locks on said cages, and to his delight, the doors opened, as if someone, or some_thing_ had pushed them from inside.

_Alpha Team_

The water was murkier than before, thanks to the fallen rocks that had stirred up the muddy bottom. Rick was heading towards the second resting spot, when he saw Tiffanie's small body trapped below the loosened debris. She was struggling to free herself, but to no avail. He immediately went back to Britney to tell her what was happening.

"NO!" shouted Britney, and in her despair, she slipped off the protruding rock, and slipped below the surface. She was only under for a split second as Rick quickly reached down and effortlessly pulled her to the surface. She was sputtering but she was okay.

"Listen..." Rick began, "As I said, I can swim faster on my own. You need to stay here, and keep holding on. I'm going to get Hunter and Liz. Do not let go, hear me!" Britney just nodded, and Rick headed out.

Hunter and Liz had also felt the tremors and were relieved when, a few moments later, Rick's head broke the surface, but their relief dissipated when they realized he was alone.

"Hunter, Liz, you need to come down here quick!" Rick shouted, trying to cover the desperation in his voice.

"Rick, what happened? Where are Tiff and Brit?" asked Liz, feeling panicky herself.

"There was a tremor, Tiff is trapped, Brit is hanging on to the wall of an airpocket. You need to hel..."

He didn't have a chance to finish, as Liz and Hunter immediately jumped in next to him.

"Liz, you go to Brit, make sure she's alright, while H and I try to get Tiff out."

Tiff's whole body was in pain. She also knew she wasn't going to be able to hold her breath much longer. That's when she saw Rick and Hunter arrive, and they began to dig her out. Meanwhile, Liz checked in on Britney, who was scared, but alright. Several seconds later, as if they needed more bad luck, the cave began to rattle once more. Liz had gone down to help the guys, and a rock from the ceiling fell and made Britney lose her grip. She slipped beneath the water, and as the current started to carry her away, she started to panic.

Rick, Liz, and Hunter were finally able to free Tiffanie, and they swam up to the second airpocket. She'd been out of it, but not for very long. She came to, but everyone's relief was short-lived when Liz spoke up, "Oh my God, Britney!" Hunter looked at his cousin with concern, and as if she had known what he was thinking, she nodded and said, "I'm fine. We gotta go to Brit.

Everything seemed to go in slow-motion for Britney. She was flailing and thrashing under the water, trying to call for help, but only sucked in more water. She needed to get to the surface, but all she could do was kick her legs in desperation. More than once, her head barely broke the surface, enabling her to glimpse the bright morning sky, and take a quick breath, but she always sank below the surface again. She broke the surface again, and let out a gurgled cry for help, but as usual, she slipped under the water. She was weakening fast, and in the back of her mind she conceded: This was how she would die. The tragic irony of it almost amused her. She was going to fall victim to her greatest fear, she was going to drown. She swallowed more of the brackish liquid, but just as she passed out, she barely felt strong arms grab her just below the chest, and pull her, but to where?

"C'mon Britney! Don't you dare die now!" Britney barely made out the faint sound of Rick's voice.She felt pounding, no not pounding, pushing, someone was pushing on her chest. Then she felt air, not water, enter her body. The voice was getting clearer, louder. Suddenly she began to cough, the foul liquid being expelled from her body. She felt gentle hands, feminine in nature, roll her to her side as she coughed up the last of the water. She was alive!

Rick, Liz, Hunter, and Tiffanie, who had suffered only cuts and bruises in the collapse,were ecstatic. Hunter had seen Britney's body suspended underwater, and pulled her out. Liz, with help from Tiffanie,had performed CPR. Then, as if on cue, the exit from the cave was engulfed by falling debris, sealing it from both ends. Their happiness didn't last though. As they sat there watching the cave-in, their thoughts turned to Joe, their lost comrade, and dear friend. Although he wasn't a blood relation, Joe was certainly their brother. It was a bittersweet ending to this leg of their journey, but their story was far from over. They checked their weapons, and allowed themselves to rest and grieve. Then, after about an hour, they continued their investigation.

**A/N**

Well, what do you know? Another chapter completed! And in short time too! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I realize I didn't end it on my usual cliffhanger, but after such a long hard time through the "mine-from-Hell," I figured this part of Alpha Team's journey needed a bittersweet, but complete ending. The Alpha's aren't done yet, but next chapter, the Bravo Team will have their hands full as they fight new enemies and find the lab! As always, please R&R!


	30. The Trap

**Chapter 30: The Trap**

_Bravo Team_

Bravo Team entered the passageway they had just found. They had no idea where it led, but it was definitely dark. They all lit the pen-lights on their vests, which shed a little light on the squared concrete hallway. It wasn't much, but at least they could see.

"So," Chrissy started to ask, "Where do you think this goes?"

"I don't know sis', but I sure as hell don't like it." Alyssa responded.

The conversation was cut short by Dan's commanding voice, "Shhh! I think I heard something," he said as he semi-consciously raised his S.T.A.R.S custom Benelli, 40 guage assault shotgun in anticipation of an attack.

The rest of the group did the same with their respective weapons, including Taylor who had found a well-maintained Glock-17 handgun in the warehouse. Taylor was an amateur to be sure, but at least she wasn't quite as helpless as she was when Bravo Team first found her in the remains of the ill-fated airliner.

All at once, the others heard what Dan had heard. Scratching, clicking noises, as if something with claws was skittering across a hardwood floor. This was followed almost immediately by a loud, high-pitched squeal. The team looked all around but saw nothing. Slowly, the group began to back away on Dan's signal, hoping to lure whatever it was into better light. Unfortunately, Mike managed to step onto a hidden pressure plate, which caused the passageway entrance to seal itself, effectively trapping the Bravo Team.

"Shit!" exclaimed Mike, as he readied his S.T.A.R.S AK-60 automatic assault rifle, "Trapped like rats!"

He immediately regretted his statement as he caught a glimpse of something that resembled a large dog-sized rat. The glimpse was all too brief though, as it seemed to disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

"Did you guys see that?" Mike asked, sounding more nervous than he'd intended.

"See what?" responded Alyssa.

"I could've sworn I just saw a giant rat, maybe more." Mike answered, "But then it, _or they_, just vanished."

"Mike!" said Dan, "This is no time for ghost stories!" But Dan quickly took it back when he felt something nudge him.

Whatever it was, he couldn't see it, but he figured it was big, and solid from what he could tell.

"Aw Hell!" Dan said, "What I wouldn't give for an infrared scope right about now!"

The idle chit-chat was cut short by a piercing scream, as Alyssa found herself on her back, and an unseen assailant had her pinned to the ground, and briefly reappeared.

"A.J. !" shouted Stephanie, and she raised her four-shot Samurai Edge, firing into the seemingly empty space above Alyssa's prone form.

The attacker was knocked off of Alyssa, and it began to flicker, appearing and disappearing uncontrollably, squealing in pain the whole time. With it's camouflage disabled, the creature was now visible to all. It was at least as large as a St. Bernard, and it was covered in dark gray fur. However, there were exposed patches of scaly, greenish-brown skin in various spots of the large rodent's body. The visible skin was definitely reptilian in nature as were the yellow eyes, and the fur-less tail.

"What'd I tell ya'!" gloated Mike, "invisible rat!"

"Well," Dan started, "In my experience, the best way to deal with a rat..."

"...Is to exterminate!" Alyssa said, finishing her older brother's sentiment, and she fired three napalm grenades from her M-79 grenade launcher into the body of her attacker, burning it to a satisfying crisp.

However, the group was lulled into a false sense of security. The next thing they knew, Stephanie was being tackled to the ground, and a sharp claw slashed across her torso. Her vest provided enough protection to keep her from being disemboweled, but the pain was still intense. Dan and Mike finished off Steph's attacker, but there was still another one, and it went after a not-so-well-prepared Taylor.

"TAYLOR! NO!" hollered Dan as he saw the last creature pounce on her back. With renewed motivation, Dan put his large frame to use, and sprinted toward the beast. Luckily, the creature had been distracted by Dan's outburst, buying him enough time to slam into it as a middle linebacker would a quarterback on a football field. Surprisingly, the impact knocked the monster off of it's prey and it was driven into the solid concrete wall. This dazed it long enough for Dan to carefully aim his shotgun, and unload three shots into the giant rat's body and head.

After the intense battle ended, Stephanie had to remove her vest and shirt in order for Chrissy to examine her wounds. The poor excuse for a sports bra she wore underneath was enough to bring out Mike's inner-adolescent.

"Now there's a side of you I thought I'd never see." joked Mike, who was trying to relieve the tension caused by the fight.

"You could turn around you know!" exclaimed Chrissy.

"That's okay doc," said Steph, "Let him look. After all, this is the closest he'll ever come to seeing a real woman!" she teased.

There was a collective sound of "Ooh!" from the others, much to the delight of the patient, and the embarrasment of Mike.

"Enough!" exclaimed Dan, "How is she Chrissy?"

"Fine. The wounds will take a while to heal, but it looks like her vest did it's job. In any case, she'll live."

"So, no infection?" Dan asked.

"Not as far as I can tell, no. But we'll have to keep an eye on her just in case." Chrissy responded.

"Good, then let's move..." said Dan. Feeling a little more light-hearted, he joked, "...before Mike starts thinking he actually has a chance with her." Dan looked at Stephanie as he finished his statement, and there were small chuckles all around. The jokes were fine, but everyone knew they were just to cover up the real feelings of dread in all their stomachs.

After about a half-mile trek down the remainder of the passage, the team found themselves in front of a pair of tall, thick, double doors made of carbon steel. The doors were adorned with a red biohazard symbol. It was placed in the center of the two doors, and below it was the logo "GT" in black. Below that, in smaller, red print, were the words Genetic Technologies, Inc. At the side of the doors was a nine-digit passcode lock.

"Well, how do we open these?" asked Taylor, as she pointed to the doors.

Without answering, Stephanie reached into her tattered vest pocket, and pulled out a small device, similar in look to a calculator. Along with it, she revealed a short wire, forked on one end with two jacks, similar to headphones. The other end was single, with a small needle-sized prong. She attached the forked end to the device in her hand. The other end was placed into a small, barely visible hole on the doors keypad.

A few short moments later, the passcode had been hacked, and the doors opened.

"I love a woman who knows her way around technology." Mike flirted.

"Ugh, will you give it a rest?" responded Stephanie, feigning disgust. But she was secretly flattered by his attention.

They were in awe of what they walked into. In front of them lay a long, pure white hallway. At the other end was another hallway, stretched across the path they were on, the two of them forming a "T" shape. They noticed three doors in their current hallway: two along the left wall, and the third in the center of the opposite wall. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they had entered the well-hidden Gen-Tech labs.

**A/N**

Well, I hope you like this Bravo Team-centric chapter. After spending alot of previous chapters on Alpha Team, I figured I'd give Bravo their own. Let me know what you think.


	31. The Lab

**Chapter 31: The Lab**

_Bravo Team_

"Well," Mike started to ask, "Door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3?"

"Depends," Chrissy responded, "What'll I win?"

"Probably a horrible death." Dan remarked, matter-of-factly.

Stephanie was checking out the layout of the pristine hallway they were standing in. "Odds are the two on the left end up in the same room, and I'm not too gung-ho about checking the other one."

"Let's go right, and hope it's not wrong." Taylor suggested.

"I'm with her, " Alyssa agreed.

So they chose right, and the door was unlocked. As they entered the large room, they noticed three empty cages, and some monitors on the far wall ahead of them. To the right of the door stood a desk which was covered end-to-end with several computers. The room was probably about twenty feet by thirty feet, and the walls were a silvery gray, like stainless steel.

"Alright, let's check this place out thoroughly. Stephanie, check those computers to see if you can find some information about this place. Mike, stand guard outside the door, in case someone else is here. Taylor, see if you can find anything in those file cabinets over there. Alyssa, stand guard with Mike. Chrissy, see if you can find any helpful substances in that refrigeration unit."

Chrissy looked at her brother with a smile and responded, "So what do you want me to look for, some liquid meth, or some ecstasy."

"Real funny sis'. But please, spare us the illegal narcotics jokes." He responded.

The playful brother-sister banter was interrupted by Stephanie, "Hey guys, I think I found something!"

Everyone but Alyssa and Mike went over to the monitor and took a look at the information on the screen:

_**Entry 1, June 10, 2025**_

_**We managed to successfully splice together chameleon DNA and rat DNA. The rat genes were dominant, but they developed the ability to blend in with their surroundings. There were other side effects as well. The fur began to fall out in some places, and I noticed a decidedly reptilian appearance in the patches of "bald" skin.**_

_**Entry 2, June 12, 2025**_

_**Perry asked us to inject the new virus strain into the subjects, but the results weren't what we'd hoped for, so he ordered us to destroy them. I really thought we were onto something.**_

_**Entry 3, June 14, 2025**_

_**Unbelievable! The specimens that we destroyed have somehow been re-animated. But the thing is, they've grown to the size of St. Bernards! They are far more aggressive than before. Perry and I realized it must've been from the new virus. Therefore, we named the new strain "Lazarus", after the person in the bible that was ressurected by Jesus. Not that we're religious, but the name seemed to fit. We decided to test them in our "arena". They used their abilities to "disappear", and slaughtered five of our best agents. Because of their abilities , we nicknamed them "Commandos" after the military special forces known for their superior comabat skills, and their ability to "blend in" with their environment. We were finally able to tranquelize them and return them to their cages. It's a damn good thing there were only three of them, otherwise this place would be a cemetery now.**_

"Commandos huh." Dan said, "That explains the trouble we had bringing them down."

"This must've been the room where they were held. But if they couldn't escape, that means they were released, which means..."

Mike interrupted Stephanie's sentence, "...Someone knew we were coming."

The sound of guns being cocked could be heard by all as they turned and saw the entrance blocked by at least six soldiers in facemasks, and carrying assault rifles. Attempting to fight now would be suicide.

_Alpha Team_

Rick's attention turned to the trail that was obviously left****by the shark/crocodile hybrid. "We should follow this. Odds are, it'll lead us to the home of that thing."

"Yeah," Liz agreed, "It most likely came from some holding tank, maybe in a lab or something."

The team followed the trail, which led to a large sewage drain. The drain was apparently barely able to accomodate the giant beast that had escaped from it's holding tank. There were some deep gashes in the upper part of the cylinder where it's scaly spine had ripped through. There were also some chunks of it's scale-covered hide on the floor of the culvert, which means it was probably in pain as it squeezed through.

"Eww. No wonder it was in such a pissy mood!" Joked Hunter.

The low chuckles of the group were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the undead that had begun to shuffle toward the surprised S.T.A.R.S team.

"Who the hell invited them to the party!" Asked Liz, as the dozen or so zombies began to close in on the team.

A/N

Well, it's been a while, and I apologize for that. I know I didn't cover the Alpha team much this time, but I plan to give them a little more to do next chapter. As always, please review.


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